


Modern AU Oneshots

by genericfanatic



Series: Dragon Prince AU drabbles [3]
Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Modern AU, More Tags in chapter descriptions, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2020-06-24 19:15:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 70
Words: 54,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19730086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/genericfanatic/pseuds/genericfanatic
Summary: After TWO HUNDRED Dragon Prince Oneshots, I'm settling in with one au setting, but jumping around with any number of scenarios within. Mostly will be centering on Callum, Rayla, Claudia, and Soren in High School, but time will jump around.





	1. American Independence Day

**Author's Note:**

> Happy 4th of July!.....er, 8th of July. Whatever. 
> 
> I'm not labeling it as 100 aus right now cause this is more of an experiment, but I'll probably cut it off at 100, if we get there.

“You sure I should be here?” Rayla asked, “I’m not really, you know, American. Seems weird to be celebrating America.”

“I mean, in this day and age, not really feeling all that patriotic myself,” Callum said, wiping mustard from his mouth, “But...burgers. Popsicles. Corn on the Cob. That I can get behind.”

“And don’t forget FIREWORKS!!!” Soren cheered, raising his sparkler into the air, “WOO! Yeah! Bring it on!”

Claudia kicked his shin from where she sat on the picnic mat of the kids area. Viren, Harrow, and Amaya had gotten a mat to themselves in view of the kids, but not sharing with them. “Not everyone likes fireworks,” She reminded her brother.

Soren blinked. Then blinked again. Then very rapidly. “But….but they’re fireworks,” he said, “You know, big explosion of light and color and sparkles up in the air? You know?” 

“The ‘explosion’ part is the key word,” Callum said, knees up to his chest, “Nothing more fun than sporadic, ear-drum splitting explosions to celebrate a holiday.”

“Bait and Zym have been curled up in the closet every night all week,” Ezran added, “It’s like the worlds worst thunderstorm for them.”

“Not to mention the smoke that fills up the air,” Claudia added, “That’s going to make the sky clouded all weekend.”

“You guys are really selling this holiday,” Rayla said, wondering why she accepted the invitation.

Callum handed her a popsicle, “Welcome to America.”

Soren was drooping like a kicked puppy. He tried to stay as woke as his friends, and he understood and was properly horrified at some of the things happening in his country, but...he was also a pretty patriotic guy. He liked the red white and blue t-shirts and decorations and grilled food and all the things that made up the holiday in his childhood.

Not to mention, he had just graduated high school, and the looming future was hovering over him, and he’d been hoping to have a fun cookout with his friends and family to forget about all that.

Claudia watched her brother, reading his emotions on his face as easily as pages in a book. She pulled him down to sit beside her, giving him a popsicle as well. “The fireworks ARE pretty,” she said, “And we’ve got the best spot in the neighborhood.” They sat on top of a hill, looking over the valley. They would be able to see fireworks shows from miles away, even the closest ones would be at a slight distance. “The sound won’t be as bad from here. And we’ll be able to see all the illegal ones too.”

“Claudia tried to make her own fireworks,” Soren said, turning on the very sister who was trying to help him. 

“Claudia, no,” Callum said, shaking his head, “I am your neighbor, I am very against you trying to burn my house down.”

“It was perfectly safe!” Claudia grumped, pushing aside her brother, who laughed, “I was trying to make them quieter! It would have been an excellent invention.” 

The others chuckled at her indignation. The sun was setting, and some of said illegal fireworks started to pop up from all over the valley. “It looks like drops in a pond,” Rayla said, tracking the movements with her eyes.

A silence fell over the kids as they looked out, watching the small fireworks, before the show really started. 

When it did, Callum flinched slightly from the sound. Ezran leaned into him, keeping him grounded, and Rayla leaned on his other side. 

Soren cheered at them. There were brilliant explosions, big bursts of colors, little ones that split off into sparkles like stars, some that changed color, blues, reds, greens, yellows, pinks, whites….every color they could think of painted the sky. 

Even though they had been dismissive of it before, all of them couldn’t help but marvel at the sight. They caught themselves making ‘ooos’ and ‘aaahs,’ unironically, talking about their favorite ones as they passed by.

At the end, they applauded, packed up up their picnic gear, and were glad to spend a day together.


	2. Rayla's Bathtime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the small country of Xadia, there was a small family with a small child, who really, really, didn't like water.

“NO!” Rayla yelled, running through the house in nothing but her birthday suit, a crime that would be more heinous if she wasn’t four years old and didn’t have a very good excuse--namely her mother running behind her with a bath towel. 

“Rayla, slow down,” Rula said, so very, very tired, not physically but mentally. “You’re going to hit your head on something!” 

“NOOOO!!!” Rayla called out, not really an answer to any question, but more of a general feeling emanating from the child. 

The small child was hindered by her father, who had gotten up to help, blocking Rayla’s exit through the hallway. She was not deterred, though, instead going to scale the bookshelf, in an effort to get higher than her parents could reach.

Well trained on jungle gyms, Rayla managed to reach the top before her parents could grab her ankle. 

Now she had two grown adults standing below her, trying to figure out a way to get their child down without breaking her head open. “Rayla, careful please,” Her father begged, “Please come down, won’t you? We just don’t want you to get hurt.”

Rayla stayed stubborn, but even she had to admit, being this high up was kinda scary for someone as small as she was. But it wasn’t as scary as the dreaded BATH.

“What’s going on?” Her Uncle Runaan came into the room after hearing all the commotion. At the sight of his niece stark-naked on top of a bookshelf, and his sister and brother-in-law standing beneath her, arms raised to catch her, he couldn’t help the snort coming from his nose, a snort that quickly turned into a full-out laughing spree. 

“It’s NOT funny!” Rula chided her brother, “If you’re not going to be of help, then stay out of the way.”

“I can be of help,” Runaan said through his wide grin, “Raynoor, come with me.”

Husband and wife looked at each other, suspicious, but reluctantly Raynoor followed Runaan through into the kitchen, while Rula tried to ensure her only daughter didn’t die. 

When Raynoor returned he brought out a tray of cookies. “Rayla,” He said, ”Look what I’ve got!”

Rayla’s ears perked at his tone, eyes zeroing in on the cookies. She crawled to the end of the bookshelf, taking a few years off her mother’s life, while Raynoor lured her to the far end of the bookshelf, reaching up and placing a cookie right at the top. 

Rayla grabbed the cookie in hand and smashed it into her mouth. Chocolate smeared over her chin, but a good half of the cookie or so made it into her stomach. 

She was about to crawl back to the edge and make grabby hands for another cookie, when she felt arms grab her around her middle. 

She yelped, but Runaan was too quick, jumping deftly down to the ground holding his squirming niece. “Got her!” He celebrated, handing her back to her mother before her flailing fists could connect with his face.

Rula held her daughter at arms length as she screeched, covered in chocolate and crumbs and red faced with anger. “Thanks,” She said flatly, and carried the girl into the bathroom. 

Not all the duckies in the world could satisfy Rayla now, as she was put in the water. “It’s COLD!” She yelled, kicking and splashing. 

“Well it wouldn’t have been if you hadn’t run.” Rula said, her patience as thin as tissue paper. “The more you fight, the longer this will take!” 

It would be nice to think that Rayla was able to understand she was defeated, and grumped as Rula made her clean up as fast as she possibly could. Nice but unrealistic. 

Instead, Runaan and Raynoor stood outside the bathroom, awkwardly waiting for the bath to be finished, listening to what sounded like a cage match between a young girl and her daughter. 

Raynoor was actually happy to be distracted when the phone rang. “Hello?” he said, “Oh, hi, Mrs. Skywind. No, I promise, we are not torturing any cats. It’s just bathtime. Thanks for the concern. Bye.”

Once Rayla was done, she refused to come out of her room for the rest of the day. “So…” Runaan asked, sitting by the exhausted parents, “Is it like that EVERY time?”

Rula glared at him.


	3. College Applications

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soren is a senior in High School, which means thinking about the future. He does not want to think about the future.

Soren stared at the computer screen, a blank word document staring back at him. 

‘Describe an academic achievement, how you managed it, and what you learned from the process.’

Soren collapsed his head on the keyboard, creating a keysmash on the page and marks in Soren’s forehead. It was incredibly uncomfortable, but he had already pushed himself to this fate and he wasn’t about to give up now. 

A knock came on his bedroom door, “Hey dipshit,” Claudia said with her usual charm, “Dad says it’s dinner. He made that chicken thing, with the tomato sauce.”

Soren groaned, lifting his head and rubbing where the keys had made an imprint, in the hopes that it would get rid of any marks. Claudia, because she was a jerk, opened his door when he didn’t answer immediately. “Whoa,” She said, looking around, “There’s a floor in here!”

“I’ve been cleaning as procrastination,” he said, which was also the reason he was sitting at his actual desk and not just curled around his laptop in bed, like he normally would be with homework assignments.

“Sounds serious,” Claudia said, entering, “Still working on the college essay?” Soren groaned, which was all the answer Soren needed. “Want me to look over what ya got?”

“No,” Soren said, lifting his head. She raised her eyebrow at him, now suspicious. “It’s just….it’s really rough right now.”

“Yeah, dingus, that’s the point of me looking it over,” She said, and came over behind him to try and read what he had so far. Soren tried covering the screen, which lead to a bit of a wrestling match. Soren was easily stronger, but Claudia had a quick wit, using his own chair to put him off balance and tip him over so she could gain access. “F-b-h-j-f-g-k. I gotta say, I’m sure there ARE less comprehensible ways to start an essay, but I can’t think of one.”

Soren lay defeated on the floor beside his fallen over chair. “I don’t know what to write,” he whined, “My high school experience hasn’t exactly been defined by Academic Achievement.”

“Hey, come on,” She said, “You’re not that dumb.”

“I thought a cheese grater made cheese taste better until last year,” Soren argued back, “You know. Makes it great-er.”

Claudia tried to hold in her scoff but it was very difficult. “Ok, so you’re not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree.” Soren made a whining noise again. “Hey, c’mon! What about football scholarships? Colleges forego mental capacity for jocks like you all the time.”

Soren sighed. “I mean. Maybe.” He said, finally sitting up and leaning against his desk, while Claudia took a seat on top of it. “But I don’t know if I want to play in college. For one, Callum keeps sending me articles about concussions in college ball, and I don’t know if I have the brain cells to lose.”

Claudia bit her inner cheek, frowning down at him, “Look, I know I’m the one who said the light bulb thing, but I think we might be starting to veer away from harmless mocking into actual self esteem issues. Not a good look, dingus.”

Soren huffed a laugh as Claudia walked the razors edge of trying to be encouraging without revealing the fact she liked her older brother. “Trust me, I know I got the looks and the muscles. I am set on esteem,” he said, flashing her his guns which made her roll her eyes, “But it’s...weird being the dumb one when you and dad are like, rocket scientists.” 

Claudia shrugged, “Not a rocket scientist yet,” she said. “Back to it, if you don’t want to play football, what do you want to do?”

Soren shrugged, looking almost meek, a weird look on the giant football star. “I’unno,” he mumbled. “I mean. Life is a long time, I can’t even….even think of what I want to do as a whole career thing, but uh…” He swallowed, “I’ve kinda been thinking, maybe of, uh….not? Going to college?” he said, pointedly not looking at his sister.

Claudia raised an eyebrow, trying to control her reaction. “Ok,” she said, keeping her voice even, “What do you WANT to do?”

Soren shrugged again, “Well...the guy at JROTC has been putting out recruitment stuff. I’m 18 now. I could like...sign up.”

Claudia took a deep inhale, “Like, the army?” Soren nodded. Claudia swallowed. She admitted, she didn’t like the idea, her brother being far away, possibly going to get KILLED. It...it scared her down to the core.

But at the same time, it seemed kinda...right. Soren liked JROTC, almost more than he liked football. He would be good at it, and was super protective. She put a hand on his shoulder and smiled. “We’ll brainstorm some ways of talking to Dad about it, alright?” He smiled back at her. “First we’ll start with sucking up to him and enjoying his chicken-and-tomato sauce dish he seems to think is fine dining.” She offered him a hand and he took it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are a lot of nuanced arguments that could and should be had about the US army, this isn't one of them. It's just the nearest translation I had for ole' Sor-Bear being a crownguard.


	4. Harrow and Sarai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young lawyer working in DC, Harrow Katolis is surprised when a young single mother named Sarai Prince muscles her way into his office for a meeting

Opelli knocked on Harrow’s door. “Your 10:00 is here,” she said.

“I have a 10:00 today?” Harrow asked, looking up from his computer. He hadn’t seen that in his calendar. 

“You do now,” She said, and then quickly got out of the way as a woman filled with fury stormed into his office, a toddler strapped to her back. 

She slammed a piece of paper on the desk. “I want to sue these people.” She said, firmly.

Harrow blinked rapidly, taking in….everything, “Ok…” He said, looking at the paper. It was a restaurant, a fairly high end one down on the east end. He had been there once or twice, it was a little stuck up for his taste. “What did they do to you?”

“Not me!” She said, frowning, “Well. Partially me. My sister and I were just having a nice brunch there to catch up, and they KICKED US OUT.”

Oh dear lord, Harrow thought, this was probably some uppity woman who had caused a fuss at the restaurant for no real reason. “Ok…” Harrow said, taking a deep breath to try and gain back control of the situation, “Let’s start from the beginning, alright? My name is Harrow Katolis, Please, have a seat.”

The woman hesitated for a moment, shaking with unused energy, and unstrapped her toddler so she could sit properly. The toddler in question stared at Harrow with curious eyes, and Harrow couldn’t help but smile. “I’m Sarai Prince,” She said, “This is my son Callum.” She took a deep breath. 

“Excellent to meet you both,” Harrow said, “So, why don’t we talk about some specifics and I’ll determine if we have a case. You know of course that a business retains the right to ask a customer to leave for any reason.”

“We were speaking to each other in ASL.” she said “THEY said we were causing a disturbance. We were literally SILENT!” she said, voice rising again, “Apparently some other customers thought we were making gang signs or some bullpoop at each other.”

“Bullpoop?” Harrow asked, confused. 

Sarai shook her head, “Sorry, toddler, self-censoring is ingrained.” She took a calming breath. “My sister is deaf, Mr. Katolis,” her voice turning earnest, “And they were mocking her. The customers and the waitstaff. My sister couldn’t hear them, but I could.” She swallowed, still trembling, “She has to face this kind of...THING all the time, our whole lives, and I’ve had it. I don’t care about the money, I just want them to be sorry they ever messed with my baby sister.” 

Harrow smiled. Ok, so she wasn’t some self-righteous customer, she had a legitimate, and rather heartwarming complaint. “Ok,” he said.

Sarai blinked, “Just like that?”

Harrow smirked, “Well I’ll have to talk with my law partner, but I think I can convince him. How did you find Katolis & Dark anyway?”

“I googled on my way out of the restaurant,” She said.

Harrow tried to muffle his laugh, “You know you shouldn’t use your phone and drive.”

“I walked,” She said simply. 

Harrow’s eyebrows shot up. It was a long way from this restaurant. “Well alright, then,” He said, “Lets build your case.”

On the day of the trial, Sarai’s sister Amaya looked like she was going to throw up. Harrow had gotten to know them both over the course of this, and so was surprised either of them could really be nervous. 

They were waiting for the Judge’s verdict, when Amaya shot up, running to the bathroom. Sarai watched her go, not even bothering to call out to her. She held Callum in her lap. “Harrow, would you--”

“Hand him over,” Harrow said, taking the child, “I’ll wait here for the verdict.”

Sarai flashed her a grateful smile and ran off. 

When she came back, Amaya in tow with red-rimmed eyes, Harrow was busy making goo-goo faces at Callum to get him to laugh. He blushed when he saw the sister’s watching him. “Um, the Judge came,” He said and tried to sign, very poorly but he was picking some words up, “We won.” Their faces lit up, “You’ll get...6...uh…”

“Just say it, “I’ll interpret,” Sarai said. 

Harrow smiled, “6,000 dollars.” The girls lit up as Sarai interpreted, “And all the restaurant employees are going to disability sensitivity training, as well as making repairs on the building to ensure it’s accessible to all patrons.”

Amaya beamed, picking Callum up and swinging him around. Sarai watched, smiling as she sat on the bench. “Thank you,” She said, swallowing, “Would you um, would you like to get coffee? With me?”

Harrow blushed nervously, “Certainly, Ms. Prince.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I've gone back and forth as to whether the HS is named Katolis or if it was Harrow's last name, so I'm deciding now his surname is Katolis, the school is called Banther High. Mascot is the panthers, obviously.


	5. Cheating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When faced with a difficult test, Callum must make an even more difficult choice.

Rayla collapsed her head on the lunch table. Her friends continued eating, allowing her to wallow. She groaned. They kept eating. She groaned louder.

Claudia sighed, the first to give in. “What’s up, Rayla?”

Rayla lifted her head, resting her chin on the table, “There’s too much homework. And between that and track I haven’t gotten like, any sleep.”

“Welcome to high school,” Soren said, raising his soda like he was toasting her. 

“Soren, when have you ever done homework?” Callum asked.

Soren shrugged, “Once or twice.” Claudia rolled her eyes at him. 

Callum turned back to Rayla. “I get it. I’ve been stressed too. But hey, that science quiz is over now, so free and clear until spring break, right?”

“Uh, except for the test in English on monday.” Rayla said.

Callum froze in eating his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. “What test?” 

Rayla jerked up, “Are you kidding me?” Rayla asked, “The big english test going over the whole unit and all the books we’ve read?”

Callum’s face fell. “I thought,” he said, his mouth going dry, “I thought we just had to pick one of the books to do our long essay on?” Rayla shook her head. “Rayla, I only read that one book.”

“You WHAT?!?” all three of his friends demanded. 

Callum nodded, “I thought we just had to pick one and the rest we would just be discussing. I was so busy with my other classes, I thought I wouldn’t bother with the reading since we wouldn’t have to write about it.”

“We do have to write about it,” Rayla said, “The test has 2 short paragraphs and a short essay we have to write, along with the multiple choice section! We went over this in class, how did you miss it?!”

Callum made a very tiny whining noise in the back of his throat, “I...I was stressed!” he said, “So...I’ve been giving myself a break by like...doodling in class.” 

Claudia inhaled sharply, looking at him in pity. Rayla looked at him concerned, her stress transfering to him. Callum was pretty sure he was on the border of a heart attack. 

Soren however, looked perfectly calm, popping a totino in his mouth. “Well. You know the only thing you can do.”

Callum felt like he was being lead to a skeevy dive bar, but it was just Soren’s room. Well, his room buried somewhere under his laundry anyway. 

“There’s absolutely 0 way you will be able to read all those books before Monday,” Soren told him, and he was reluctant to say that it was in fact true, “So let me introduce you to my dear friend, Mr. Sparknotes.”

Callum gulped, “But my teacher said we weren’t allowed to use Sparknotes.”

“Your teacher going to go through your search history?” Soren asked. Callum didn’t answer, “Thought not.”

He took out an index card, “Write down all the information this card can hold,” He advised his younger friend, “Characters, places, themes, whatever you think you’ll be tested on. Hide it in your scarf during the test. Then you can check it whenever you need, and you don’t have to remember a thing.”

Callum shook where he stood. He had never cheated a day in his life. Their school was a prestigious college-prep school, they took cheating very seriously. He’d be brought before a board if he was caught. His dad would find out. What would his Dad even say?

But, Soren was right. He couldn’t catch up in time. His Dad would be disappointed he hadn’t been paying attention in class either. He was doomed either way. Cautiously, he picked up his pen, and started copying down important details, never touching the books once. 

When he got into the test, he felt the index card burning a hole in his pocket. If he got caught, this was it, this was the end of him.

But as he started on the multiple choice questions, he realized he remembered them from having written them down over the weekend onto his cheat card. He continued on and realized, he didn’t need to take out the card at all.

He had accidentally tricked himself into studying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it wasn't in high school but this actually happened to me in College. I thought the final was the essay. It was not. It was going over all the books. Which I did not read. Or even buy. They were not at the bookstore anymore because why would they be we were supposed to have read them already. But then i made my notecards and by the time i went into the test I remembered enough to take it. 
> 
> So remember kids. Don't read books, just binge study before the test, and you'll do fine.


	6. Surprise!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harrow is acting weird today, and Callum doesn't know what to think about it.

“Dad, watch the road!” Callum yelled. His father was being oddly distracted today. 

“I am, I am,” He said, but as soon as he reached the stoplight again, he went back to checking his messages. 

“Do you want me to read them for you?” Callum said, “Honestly, you have an impressionable teen in the car. I’m going to be learning to drive soon, and this is the example you’re setting?”

Harrow gave him the side eye, and put the phone away. 

They drove in silence for a minute and Callum let his mind wander. He’d put a piece of his into an online art competition, which he’d initially been worried about but his dad checked it out and it seemed legit. The results were supposed to be coming out any day now. 

He told himself it didn’t really mean anything if he didn’t get it. Nothing would change. Still, this is the first time he’d be graded by someone that wasn’t his teachers or his father’s placement of things on the fridge. 

But if he DID win….He could put it as part of his portfolio….he could use that to help apply for colleges….And more than anything else he’d have proof from a solid source person-who-doesn’t-care-about-hurting-his-feelings that he was GOOD at art. His dad had always been supportive of him, but like. This was big. 

“Uh, Dad?” He said, “You kinda missed the turn for the house right there.” 

“I know,” He said, “I have to make a quick errand.” 

Callum squinted at him. “Where?”

“The uh, bank,” He said, “Just real quick,” He said as he pulled into the parking lot for the bank. “You can stay in the car, this won’t take long.”

Without even waiting for Callum’s response, Harrow jumped out. He was acting weird today. He kept looking at Callum like he was expecting something. What, Callum had no idea, and when he asked, Harrow went “Oh, nothing, nothing at all.” 

It was weird. 

For a quick trip to the bank, Harrow didn’t seem to be in a rush to get to the front of the line, which Callum couldn’t get a CLEAR view of through the window, but seemed open to him. In fact, from what he could see, Harrow was just on his phone. Maybe he’d gotten a work email he had to deal with. 

Very suddenly, Harrow came back, “Alright, all set, lets go home!” 

Callum kept squinting at him, trying to read him, but whatever it was, Harrow wasn’t giving it up. 

They pulled up to the house, and Callum saw a number of cars in the Dark family’s driveway next door. That was weird. Maybe Viren was hosting something? But why wouldn’t Harrow’s family be invited?

“Go in without me,” Harrow said, handing him the keys, “I have to grab the garbage cans.”

Weirder and weirder. Usually Harrow did that in the morning. And why did he insist on Callum coming on errands with him anyway? Ezran didn’t have to go. This was bullshit. 

He unlocked the front door, “Ez, we’re home,” He called out. The lights were turned out. Huh.

He turned the corner and--”SURPRISE!!!”

Callum screamed like a little girl. A camera flashed, no doubt capturing his face for all time. He looked around. 

Rayla, Viren, Soren, Claudia, Amaya, Gren, Ezran, and Ellis were all there. Zym the dog was barking at the sudden uproar of noise. “W--what?” Callum stuttered.

“Happy Birthday!” Harrow said, coming out with a cake, and candles. Callum blinked. He was so worried about the competition, he’d forgotten his own birthday. 

The group sang to him, Rayla and Ezran putting their arms around him. Soren sang an extra verse at the end about him being a monkey in a zoo, which made Callum roll his eyes as he blew out the candles. 

“Now, you can’t tell me what you wished for, of course,” Harrow said, setting the cake down, “But I have a feeling I can help it to come true.”

He handed Callum an envelope. The competition results. 

Callum opened it like an animal searching for food. He unfolded the paper, having to calm down so he could actually read. “I WON!” He said and his friends and family cheered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently July 15th is Callum's Birthday!! Unless I got that really wrong!! But I think its ok. Happy Birthday Mage Boy!


	7. PTA Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Runaan is finally convinced to come to a PTA meeting, and it's both better and worse than he imagined.

“Welcome everyone,” Harrow said, standing at the front desk of the school’s library, “Welcome welcome, please settle down.”

The various parents and teachers came and settled into their seats, the chatter quieting down. “I’m glad to see some new faces today,” He said, sending Runaan a smile. Runaan was sitting as far away from everyone else as he could while still being considered as part of the group. “We don’t have too much on the agenda tonight, just going over some previous business, and then we get to work on logistics for out bake sale!”

He said it like it was a huge treat, and to Runaan’s surprise, several of the attendees were agreeing with him. Runaan didn’t really get it. It was...it was just a bake sale, right? School fundraiser? All these parents were rich and donated to the school as it was. Caldera High wasn’t exactly a public school, they didn’t NEED the money. So, what was the point of the bake sale?

“But first, Viren, if you would go over our minutes from last meeting?”

“Certainly,” Viren said, pulling out his computer, and Runaan immediately tuned out. 

He didn’t want to come, but ever since his darling niece, who’s mother he promised to look out for while she was staying here in America, had made friends with Harrow’s son, Harrow Katolis had come under the distinct impression that this made the pair of them friends. Runaan had tried to politely disavow these assumptions, but Harrow was nothing if not insistent. So when he finally ran out of excuses, he had come to this damn meeting.

He was just trying to think of what the timezone difference was back in Xadia, and if he would be able to text his long distance boyfriend in an effort to amuse himself, when finally Viren’s words cut through his mental shields. “Am I boring you, Mr. Moonshadow?”

Runaan’s head perked up, and he realized all eyes were on him. Well, almost all, the psychology teacher Villads was blind, but his ears were in Runaan’s direction. “Sorry?” he said, trying to figure out what was happening.

“I would have thought,” Viren said coldly, “That given you have been avoiding these meetings surrounding your own child up until now, that you would be more interested in finding out what has been happening.” He glared at Runaan, which only made Runaan glare right back. “Can you repeat back anything I’ve read about our previous meetings’ minutes?”

Runaan gaped at him, “Excuse me,” He said, matching Viren’s tone, “But can you tell me if I am one of the students here?”

Viren’s face twisted, “you are a guardian, you should be interested--”

“If I’m not a student here, why am I being tested like one?”

“Everyone, please,” Harrow said, holding up his hands as he tried to keep the peace. Murmurs started up around the room, and Runaan honestly couldn’t tell if they were pro Viren, pro Runaan, or anti the both of them all together. “We’ve finished the minutes, they’ll be posted online for anyone who may have missed them,” He side eyed Runaan slightly, and Runaan was a little annoyed at himself for being sorry that he’d upset the man. “Let’s just move onto the fun part. Bake sale!”

The good news was that with the bake sale discussion, Runaan was no longer bored. 

The BAD news was that he wasn’t bored because the library had broken out into a terrible argument/screaming match.

Viren slammed his hands on his table. “It will be EASIER to cook something in mass that can later be cut up! Brownies, Blondies, other types of bakes!”

“But cookies will have more variety!” Runaan shouted back, as the rabble joined in, everyone trying to shout over each other to get their own points and wants heard, “Chocolate chip, sugar cookies, gingerbread...hell we can bring in some oatmeal raisin if we want!”

Viren stood up, rage flooding his face, “If you bring any fucking Oatmeal Raisin cookies to a school fundraiser, I’ll kill you!”

Runaan stood up in turn, “I am already dead!” 

The parents and teachers started forming factions, the cookies vs. the brownies in what they wanted to make, yelling across the normally serene library. 

Harrow had taken to sitting on the front desk itself, face buried in his hands as every attempt he’d made at getting things back on track had gone to pieces. 

The only person having anything resembling a good time was Mr. Villads, sitting off to the side and plopping sunflower seeds into his mouth as he listened to the chaos surrounding him, like it was the most beautiful music in the world.


	8. Presidential Election

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pressure heats up for the next presidential election.....of the Banther Elementary School student government association, that is. Ezran Katolis prepares his final speech.

Ezran shuffled his flash cards, getting them in order. He nearly dropped them, and then had to count them again to make sure they didn’t get all mixed up. 

“Relax,” Ellis said, a hand on his back, “You got this. You know your stuff. Trust your head, or you’re gonna get all caught up and curse yourself.”

Ezran whined, “Now I’m worried about getting caught up in my head!” 

Ellis rolled her eyes at him, and patted Ava on the head. Ava, her service dog, stayed dutifully at her side. “It’s just Aanya. She’s nice! You’ll both give your speeches and then people will vote, and it’ll be over.”

Ezran rocked a little, looking over the gymnasium to where Aanya was sitting perfectly still. She didn’t look like she was flustered with notecards or worried at all. “Aanya...doesn’t really like me,” Ezran said, shuffling. Ellis tilted her head. She hadn’t been at the school long, but she was already Ezran’s closest friend. “Her moms….died in the same car accident my mom died in.”

Ellis’ eyebrows shot into her hairline, “Oh wow,” she said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

Ezran shrugged, “We don’t talk about it ever. We don’t talk much at all. I think being around me reminds her of them and….I dunno, it’s awkward.”

“Well, it happened a long time ago,” Ellis said, “Neither of you remember, so there’s no use worrying about it.”

Ezran sighed, trying to think of what to say, but the students had all filtered into the gymnasium, and the Principal, Dr. Vet, was at the podium, “Settle down, Settle down,” he said. The chattering subsided somewhat, “Welcome everyone, to our Student Government Association Election speeches. Each candidate will have 2 minutes to present their platform, and afterwards, students will return to their classrooms to vote! First up is….Ezran Katolis.” 

Ezran gulped, but Ellis patted him on the back again, and he got up to the microphone Dr. Vet had kindly lowered for him. “Hi,” Ezran said, then backed up in response to the terrible feedback from the audio system. A teacher ran up and fixed it for him, and he stepped forward again, “my name is Ezran Katolis and I’m running for student body president.”

Ellis clapped and cheered for him….but she was the only one. She didn’t seem embarrassed though. Ezran cleared his throat. “If you elect me as your president, I promise to fight for the issues that affect YOU the most! Like, getting better meals in the cafeteria, healthy but still taste good! And I’ll work to get the budget for an actual school mascot. The Banther Panther will be at our games to help cheer up the crowds!”

The audience perked up a little, interested in what he had to say. He swallowed, encouraged. “If you elect me, I’ll get you ice cream at lunches on Fridays! And new games at Recess!” The students started clapping, “And a limit on how much homework can be passed out!” The audience started cheering. Ellis gave him a big thumbs up, and Ezran stepped down, a wide smile on his face as he sat beside her. 

“Next up,” Dr. Vet said, “We have Aanya Duren.”

The applause died down a bit as Aanya stepped up. She was no taller than Ezran, still, it seemed she looked down on everyone else in the room. “While my….opponent….certainly has lofty and ‘fun’ goals, I would like to remind him and everyone in this room that SGA decisions have to be cleared by the school, which likely will not have the funds to support any of his plans.” 

Ezran’s heart dropped into his stomach. They wouldn’t…? Someone else in the room shouted “Buzzkill!”

Aanya cleared her throat, powering through. “What I propose is a series of fundraisers that we can provide that will go to important systems in our school. With hard work and dedication, we can put forward services like beautification of the school, marathons to raise money for textbooks, and a protest of the school board to acquire qualified on-campus therapists that will be available for the entire student body.”

The audience did not respond with the claps and cheers like they did for Ezran. Instead, the room fell into complete silence. “In conclusion,” Aanya said, “I will help this school to become a force that learns to work for what we need, rather than demand what what we want like babies.”

Chatter started up around the room, very little of it positive. Ezran shrank in his seat, embarrassed at his silly platform. It seemed stupid now.

At the end of the day, the results of the election were announced on the school speakers. “And our new SGA president is….Ezran Katolis!” 

Ezran wanted to be happy. He really did. Instead he felt Aanya’s glare at him from across the room. 

With a deep sigh, he went to her after the bell rang. “Hey,” he said, “At least you’ll be VP! Ya know, since you...uh…”

She scoffed. “Whatever,” he said, “Good luck with your ice cream fridays.” She started heading to the front door. 

“Wait!” Ezran said, chasing after her. “You...you were right. About a lot of things. The school’s not just going to hand over money for...for ice cream.” He shrugged, “Maybe we can do a fundraiser for it. You could help me out. And maybe we can do some of your other stuff too.”

Aanya stopped and glared at him for a long moment, and Ezran felt like he was being scanned by a robot. “...Ok.” she said. He brightened.


	9. Anime Convention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team go off to their first anime convention!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started this and realized I haven't seen anime in years....I'm so out of the scene...

“Whoa….” Rayla said, looking out over the crowd, “it’s beautiful.”

“EZRAN QUIT IT!” Callum yelled behind him, “You’re gonna mess up my costume!”

Rayla turned back. Ezran was jumping up and down, energized by the many costumed people around her. “Pika Pika!” He said, “Pika! Pika Pika!”

Callum sighed, annoyed. Their fathers, or father figures in Rayla’s case, had allowed them to come to this anime convention….as long as they brought Ezran and looked after him. 

Callum loved Ezran very much, but the second Soren had brought up the idea of Callum as Ash Ketchum, Ezran had insisted they go as a group. Claudia got outfits for herself and Soren as Team Rocket, Callum and rayla got some thrift store stuff to make up costumes as Ash and Misty (Rayla got some spray-on orange hair dye that would wash out at the end of the day) and Ezran got a big old Pikachu onesie and was jumping around like he really was full of electricity.

“Ok,” Claudia said, “There’s a full-metal alchemist panel at 1:00, a VA signing at 3, and a family feud game at 5. I think we can make all of that. Anything you guys wanna see?”

“Pika!”

“Gotta hit the dealers room!” Soren said, “Marcos showed me his anime body pillow. It’s got Winry on it.”

Claudia and Rayla both scrunched their noses at him, stepping away. Callum covered Ezran’s ears with his hands. “Pika Pika PIKACHU!” Ezran protested, not knowing what was going on. 

“Well I definitely want to see the artist alley.” Callum said, “My tumblr friend said she was selling some artwork here this weekend, and I want to get a few prints.”

“Callum, you should sell some of your fanart,” Rayla said.

Callum scrunched up his face and shook his head, “I don’t think so. Not for a while, anyway. It’s not on that level yet.” 

“Oh please!” Claudia said, “I saw that She-Ra pic you shared. It was awesome!”

Callum still shrugged, “Whatever. For now I’m fine just posting it.” 

Ezran pulled on his shirt, “Pa-”

“Yes, I know,” Callum said, “Pika Pika. I heard.” 

Ezran’s face crumpled, and Ezran immediately felt bad. “I’m sorry, Ezran, I know you’re excited. What’s up?”

Ezran shrugged, “Pokemon has a photo shoot at 3,” Ezran said, shuffling his feet, “I thought it could be fun.”

Callum felt the guilt wash over him. “That...that does sound good,” He said, “Do you know where it is?”

Ezran nodded, “The facebook group said it was by the fountain.There’s apparently a pokestop there too.” 

“Sounds good to me!” Claudia said encouragingly, “that voice actor wasn’t really good anyway, I don’t need his signature.” 

Rayla ruffled Ezran’s hair through his costume, “Why don’t we hit the Artist Alley first, and then can go to the panel and the photoshoot, dealers room, family feud, and then dinner. That’s a pretty damn full day.”

“You sure there wasn’t anything you wanted to do, Rayla?” Callum asked.

Rayla looked over the balcony down at the people below, “I just like being around all the cool costumes and enthusiasm. With my friends of course.”

Callum, Claudia, and Ezran all smiled, while Soren wrapped his arms around her. “AWWW YOU SAP!” 

“HEY, QUIT IT, ROCKET!” Rayla said, “I’ll sick my charizard at you!” She took out the little plushie she had brought with her.

“Well he’ll have to face, MY GENGAR!” Soren said, taking out his own pokemon. 

Claudia and Callum held their heads in their hands at their ridiculous friends, but couldn’t fight back their smiles. Ezran jumped into the furious pokebattle with his own moves and defeated both plushies all by himself. 

Then Soren swooped Ezran up and ran off to the Artist Alley, “TEAM ROCKET BLASTING OFF!!” He yelled as he went, his friends following.


	10. Stranger Danger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Katolis/Prince Household gets a surprise visitor that throws things out of order.

The doorbell rang. “Callum, can you get that?”

“What happened to stranger danger?” Callum demanded, but honestly that wasn’t his concern. He didn’t want to get up from the couch. The video he was watching was still playing.

“You’re 14, they’re not going to grab you and carry you off.” Harrow called from his home office. Callum knew he was drowning in his latest case and so had essentially locked himself in for the weekend, but still….Callum had youtube to watch. 

Groaning exaggeratedly, he got off the couch and headed for the door. “If you’re selling something, we’re not buying unless it’s cookies,” Callum said, opening the door. “Actually, my brother’s girlfriend’s a girlscout, so not even then, we’re set.” 

It was not a girl scout, it was a full grown man, about his father’s age it looked like. He didn’t have a clip board or a company branded t-shirt either, just a slip of paper that looked like it was torn out of a phone book. “Um,” The man said, and Callum could feel his nerves, “Is...does Sarai Prince live here?”

Callum felt the color drain from his face. He frowned at him, trying to figure out what this was. Who was this guy? “DAD?” Callum called into the house. 

The man shuffled awkwardly, staring at Callum. There was a thump as Harrow dived out of his office and made it to the front door, “What? You’re not actually being murdered are y--” Harrow saw the man in the doorway, looking between him and his son. “Who are you?”

The man cleared his throat. “Uh...Kalor Sky. I...well, it’s a long story, but I found an entry for a Sarai Prince that lived here and uh...well, I knew a Sarai Prince a while ago. It’s...stupid, I guess, I just...wanted to catch up, I guess.” He rubbed the back of his head, “Stupid...I don’t even know if it’s the same...but Sarai’s not a very common name, you know? So…”

“Sarai passed away,” Harrow said, putting a hand on Callum’s shoulder, “Almost 10 years ago.”

Kalor swallowed. “Oh,” He said, the air knocked out of him, “I’m...I’m so sorry. Are you, uh...if you don’t mind me asking…”

“I’m her husband, yes,” He said, taking a long breath, “When did you know Sarai?”

Kalor chewed on his inner cheek. “About...about 15 years ago.”

15, Callum thought. That would put him just before Callum was born….Puzzle pieces started clicking together in his mind. He looked into Kalor’s eyes. His mother had brown eyes, deep brown. But Callum had this sort of green that changed colors in the light. It seemed like Kalor had the same. “You’re...you’re my…” Callum choked on his own words. 

Kalor turned back to him, “I think….I think I am, yeah.” 

Callum looked up at Harrow, who had gone full business mode, looking Kalor up and down, judging him. “Why don’t you come in,” He said, voice free of any tone, “It seems we have a lot to talk about.”

Kalor nodded and entered the home, following Harrow into the living room and sitting on the couch, though he looked as uncomfortable as he could possibly be. 

Harrow kept Callum as close to him as he possibly could, giving him strength just by existing. Callum felt himself start to shake. His mom didn’t talk much about his birth father, or if she did, Callum was too young to remember. He and Harrow had struggled over the years with her loss and what the two of them meant to each other….still, to Callum, Harrow was the only father he’d ever had. There was no father listed on his birth certificate. He’d always just assumed his birth father was from an unknown hookup (no judgement) or dead.

Harrow sat on the couch opposite Kalor, arm still around Callum. “I have some questions,” He said, and Kalor nodded, “The first one has to be ‘why now?’”

Kalor swallowed, nodding again, “It’s kind of a long...pretty soap-opera-esque story,” he said. He took a deep breath, “My family...my parents are fairly traditional in their religion. I guess I can be too, but I don’t abide by all of it, much to their displeasure, uh. They didn’t...they didn’t like…”

“They didn’t like you dating a Jewish woman,” Harrow said, “Like Sarai.”

Kalor nodded. “She agreed keeping it secret, for a while. She didn’t even tell her sister, on my request. But my parents found out anyway, and….” He rubbed his arm, awkward, “I was still pretty dependant on them, financially. So when they moved me away….I had no way of contacting her. Apparently she at one point tried to contact my mother, probably to tell me about…” His eyes went to Callum. “She...she passed away recently. And finally told me about it.” He started rocking back and forth, “So, I went looking for her. And you.” He said to Callum.

Callum gulped. “So, you didn’t know at all?”

Kalor shook his head. “I broke away from my family a bit ago. I’m married now, to someone else my parents don’t approve of. We have a kid of our own. You have a sister.” He smiled. 

Callum took a deep breath. “I’m going to get some snacks,” Harrow said, “It seems we have a lot more stories to go into.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the holiday ep way back when, I had Callum's family being Jewish, partially because I wanted to go over various holidays, and my options were Rayla and Runaan (Horns....bad idea there) and Viren's house (the villains, or at least antagonists. Also bad.)   
> So, Sarai and Amaya were born into a Jewish family, Harrow converted when he married her, Callum and Ezran are Jewish but celebrate a secular Christmas and Easter  
> Also, I changed the name Calor to Kalor because looking at the double CAL got things confusing. There will be more of him in this.


	11. Unplanned Pregnancy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarai has discovered she is pregnant, and has to figure out what to do about that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for brief references to abortion and antisemitism

Sarai had her phone attached to her ear as it rang and rang and rang again. It hadn’t stopped ringing all morning. But she didn’t know what else to do. Kalor’s family hadn’t told him where they’d moved to. It was lucky Kalor was able to get a message out to her at all, to let them know they were leaving.

Sarai could have kicked them. This was the 21st century! It was 2004, for goodness sakes, who just kidnaps their adult sons because they didn’t like the girl he was dating? Antisemite bastards like the Sky family, that’s who. 

Sarai knew that this call wasn’t going through for a reason, but it kept ringing, so the number wasn’t blocked. It’s just, Kalor couldn’t reach it. Somehow. Did they take it from him? Lock him in a dungeon??

In normal circumstances, Sarai would have left things be. Kalor was an adult, and it was hard to choose someone you loved over family, especially when family was still paying his rent. They were still young, it wasn’t weird to be dependent. And as much as it broke her heart, she would let him go, if this was what was best for him. 

But she had to tell him. This was bigger than her, too big to make the decision on her own. As much as she believed in a woman’s right to choose and all, she didn’t want this just to be her choice. She wanted him to at least know.

The call hung up again and Sarai cursed to herself. She took a deep breath and prepared to dial again, when the number actually called her back. “Kalor?” She said picking up on the first ring.

“32 calls? Really?” a voice said that most definitely was NOT Kalor.

Sarai deflated as she recognized the voice of Kalor’s mother. “Hello, Loraine,” she said as droll as she could make her voice. 

“I don’t know how much clearer a sign our family can give to you,” Loraine said, “Find one of your own kind to be with.”

Sarai didn’t have time to rant about THAT little tidbit. “Look, I just need to talk to Kalor, would you put him on?”

“Honestly, what makes you think Kalor wants to speak to you?” Loraine said, “he might have had a bit of a wild phase with you, but we’ve helped him to recover.”

Sarai rolled her eyes so hard they hurt. “I’m not trying to get him back if that’s what you’re worried about,” she said, though it pained her a bit, “But I need to talk to him, something’s happened.”

“What, are you pregnant or something?” Loraine asked, voice overflowing with snark.

Sarai didn’t know how to answer that. The words were taken from her, and she was left shaking, the word finally said allowed that had been floating in her brain all morning, ever since she realized she was late.

“Oh my heavens, you actually are, aren’t you?” Loraine said.

“Fine, yes,” Sarai said, “Now will you please let me talk to Kalor so we can figure out some sort of arrangement for YOUR grandchild?” 

It was Loraine’s turn to be struck silent. Sarai waited on baited breath. Maybe she was looking for Kalor and his voice would be the next she’d hear. “Get rid of it.” 

“What?” Sarai breathed. Sure, she’d been….considering it, but… “You’re the one of us who’s supposed to be AGAINST that!”

“I won’t have my blood…..contaminated.” She said, “Just. Do what you do. You’re already living in sin, so--”

“That is so far out of the realm of your decision!” Sarai yelled, jumping off her bed to pace around. “Put Kalor on the phone!”

“What, you want money?” Loraine said, “I’ll send you money for it, just go away and leave our family alone!” 

“I don’t want you money, I want--” The phone clicked off. She hit ‘redial’, but the phone automatically went to message. Either the number was blocked, or Loraine had just turned it off, to destroy or stuff away in some drawer where Sarai couldn’t reach her again. 

Sarai clutched her head and raged, stomping her feet. 

She collapsed on her bed face-first and cried. She quickly turned over, not wanting to crush the baby. Could she do that? She didn’t know anything about this! She wanted kids but she expected she’d be older and married and….why hadn’t she just been more careful??

Amaya came in, and she hugged a pillow to herself. “I felt the floor shake,” Amaya signed, “What’s wrong?”

Sarai beckoned her in. Lacking a husband or partner, her parents having died not long enough ago, Amaya was her only anchor left in the world. “We need to talk.”


	12. Meeting Ezran

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezran has just been born, and Harrow takes Callum to go and meet him for the first time.

Callum plodded stubbornly forward. “Slow down, Callum,” Harrow instructed. He hadn’t been Callum’s step father for very long, so it was weird parenting him without Sarai there to back him up. But if Sarai was here, they wouldn’t be going to the Hospital right now. 

“I wanna see Mama!” Callum said, tugging on Harrow’s hand through the doors. His parents hadn’t wanted to take him out of preschool, even though they’d PROMISED to tell him when the baby was coming. So he was both surprised and angry to find out when Harrow picked him up that the baby was already born. 

Harrow, who remembered no such promise, wondered how in the hell Sarai had managed to be a single mother on her own before he met her. Callum was a good, well behaved kid, and still Harrow felt like he was pushed to his limits trying to wrangle him in. He supposed it was easier before Callum could walk so much….

Harrow held Callum’s hand tightly as they walked through the hospital hallways, making sure he didn’t run off. Where he’d go, Harrow had no idea, Callum didn’t know where he was going. 

They made it to the hospital room and Harrow lightly knocked on the partially open door. “Come in,” Sarai said.

That was all Callum needed before he broke off and ran inside to find his mother smiling and holding a small bundle to her chest. She looked like she’d just run a marathon, but Harrow knew better than to bring it up. 

He loved her so much, but you only needed to make the mistake of commenting on the appearance of your pregnant wife ONCE to never, ever, ever do it again. Also had to learn about coming between her and her craving for jelly tarts with mustard. 

Callum was still too short to see the baby by standing at the edge of the bed, even if he stood on his tiptoes. “You want some help?” Harrow asked, and he nodded. 

Harrow picked Callum up and he gasped as he looked at his new baby brother. Mere hours ago, the baby had been screaming his tiny lungs out, but it was hard to believe of the sleeping face of the baby in his mother’s arms. “Can I hold him?” Callum asked.

Harrow’s response would have been ‘no’ because he wasn’t sure how much fine motor skills 4 year olds had, but he had seen the crayons Callum had crushed in his hands. Still, Callum was very much Sarai’s son, not his own (yet, he hoped) so when Sarai scooted over to let Callum squeeze in beside her on the hospital bed, he didn’t object. 

“You have to support his head,” Sarai said, guiding her second son into Callum’s arms, “his neck is still very wobbly.” Callum nodded, vibrating excitedly as the baby was placed in his arms, almost too big for his little hands to hold, but his mother helped support him. 

The baby, Ezran (Who Harrow was still coming to terms with that he was a real person now and not a bullet on a baby names list he liked) squirmed a bit. He already had a full head of hair. Sarai said he looked like him. Harrow couldn’t see it yet--he just looked like a baby, a black baby he supposed, but still….baby. He hoped he’d see more when the baby grew up. 

“You’re a big brother now,” Sarai said, leaning her head over her two sons, “Just like I was the big sister to your Aunt Amaya. It’s a lot of responsibility.” She stroked his head, “you’re going to have to look out for him and help us teach him things. And most importantly, he’s going to take a lot of my and Harrow’s attention for a while, so you’re going to have to learn to share us, ok?” 

Callum nodded resolutely, like a soldier being given orders, “I will,” He said, “And I’ll teach him to play and to draw, and we’ll play all the time.”

Sarai chuckled, very tired at that. She closed her eyes and lay back in the bed. 

Harrow hovered over the bed side, pulling some of her stray hairs out of her face. “How’re you feeling?”

Sarai gave him a raised eyebrow, even though her eyes were closed. “Like I just pushed a small human out of me.” 

“Well, that does make sense,” He said. “You want me to grab a nurse? Get you some water or food for a bit?”

“No, no,” She said, “I’m just tired. I kind of want to take another nap.” She had napped a good deal of the day while the doctors did tests to ensure the baby was healthy and Harrow signed paperwork. “Watch over them?”

Harrow blinked. He was barely getting ahold of the idea that looking after Callum was more than just babysitting now. Taking care of TWO children...HIS children….by himself?

He swallowed. It would be okay. Just for a little while, “Sure,” He said, giving her a kiss on the forehead. She was sweaty, but he didn’t comment on it. 

Within seconds, she was asleep, and Harrow smiled, looking over his perfect little family.


	13. Talent Show

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caldera High school puts on a talent show!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think at one point I said that the high school was called Banther, well that was a lie. The elementary school is called Banther, the High school is Caldera now.

Callum flinched in the bright lights as he stepped on stage. Reaching up a hand to block the bright lights from his eyes, he made it over to the microphone. “Good evening, Caldera High School Students!” There was applause rippling through the room. “I’m Callum Prince, and I’ll be your MC this evening. We have an excellent line up for you tonight. Starting us off, The amazing Claudini and her assistant, my brother, Ezran Katolis!”

Claudia came out, dressed up like a witch, with the hat and everything, smiling and waving at the audience. Ezran was dressed in black, but that was about all his efforts toward looking like an assistant. Claudia plucked the microphone from the stand and walked with it. “Hello, Hello my beautiful people!” She decreed to a fresh wave of applause. “I am the AMAZING Claudini, and here to help me….Ezran, what’s wrong?” 

Ezran gave an overdramatic sigh into his mic. “I seem to have lost my pet toad.”

“Oh no!” Claudia said, “Well, that wouldn’t make anyone very hoppy!” 

If there was a cricket in the audience, they would have heard it. Claudi giggled humorlessly at her own joke and took the hat off her head. “Well then, we’ll just have to try a locator spell. Ezran, would you be so kind as to look in my hat,” She said, taking it off and showing it to the audience. 

Ezran shrugged, just as over dramatic before. “There’s nothing in there!” 

“So it seems!” Claudia said, then put her hat flat before her, “Spirits above and below me, bring this lost toad to me!!” She cried as dramatically as she could, then reached into the hat and pulled out a small toad.

“Bait!” Ezran cried out, and grabbed him, snuggling him close. 

The audience made ‘aw’ sounds, and clapped. “Guess that’s why you’re my TOADY, huh, Ezran.” Crickets again. Claudia frowned, facing the audience and gripping her microphone tight. “I’m wasting my best material on you guys.”

She continued her show, doing card tricks, scarf tricks, culminating in a rope trick, having Ezran tie her up, and then magically escaped. She got great applause for her tricks….less so for her jokes, but it evened out into general enjoyment. 

Callum came out as they left. “Our next act is from Rayla Moonshadow. 

Notes started playing from the speakers. As the lyrics started, Rayla stepped out on stage, starting with very graceful slow movements, almost like ballet, but still showing off her flexibility. 

As the song went to the bridge, The movements turned more into leaps and flips. She got a bit of applause every time she did a particularly impressive move. No one else could see or hear over the music, but off stage, Callum very clearly see that Rayla was singing along to “I’m Still Here” from Treasure Planet. 

She finished with a flourish and a bow, and the audience exploded in applause especially from the back where Runaan was clapping like it was a competition, and his boyfriend Takaan (who was visiting) Was cheering loud enough that it would be hard to hear anything else on the camera he was recording her performance with, so they could send it to her parents back in Xadia. 

Several other acts went, a lot of singing of various pop songs, Marcos tried a comedy routine that flubbed just as much as Claudia’s jokes, establishing that the audience was not here for jokes. Luckily he distracted them all, grabbing a third microphone on stage and starting to do juggling tricks that gave the sound technician for the night a near heart attack. 

It came down to the last act of the night. “And now, we have the Dark family book-ending our show,” Callum said to the audience, “You’ve seen him throw a ball, now listen as he throws prose, it’s Soren Dark with his famed poetry!” Callum had never heard his poetry before. He was curious. 

Soren stepped out to muted applause. He was famed for his football skills, but poetry wasn’t something he was associated with. They were curious.

He tapped the mic, “This poem is called, Sorrow.” He said, and closed his eyes. 

“The boy played all day.

He played all night. 

But the day came he couldn’t play anymore.

It gave the boy a fright.”

The audience blinked at him. No one knew if he was done, but he had stopped speaking. Callum came out, trying to save him.

“Wait, wait,” Soren said, “I have a back up. There once was a boy from Nantucket--”

“OKAY EVERYBODY!” Callum said, grabbing the mic from him, “That’s our show, Drinking and driving kills, see you all Monday Morning!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rayla's song choice was based on a post on The Dragon Prince Official tumblr and if you're not following them, what are you doing with your life?


	14. Friday Night Football

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title kinda says it. It's game time, and Soren is on the field.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was in marching band and dont understand football so this is what you get.

Soren caught the ball out of the air and ran as fast as he could. 

The other team tried to tackle him, but he was a bullet. For this one part of his life, being single-minded was a good thing. 

Someone grabbed his foot and he went tumbling...right over the endzone. 

He heard the screaming cheers as the timer took them into half-time. He rolled over on his back looking up at the sky, not able to see much as his breath formed into clouds in the cold air. He didn’t feel cold at all, though, he felt overly warm in his uniform. 

One scream cut through the rest, “FUCK YEAH, SOREN!!!” he grinned behind his mouthguard, and turned his head as much as he could to see his sister in her band uniform, completely out of her own formation where she and the others were supposed to be getting ready for their halftime show. Ignoring the band director’s pleas to get back in line, she just jumped up and down, feathered hat bouncing everywhere, her hair threatening to fall out. She didn’t have an instrument like the rest, as she was drum major, whatever that was. 

Soren gave her a ‘thumbs up’ as his celebration. His teammate Marcos came over to help him stand up, and start guiding him to the locker room. 

He saw Callum and Rayla, who had not abandoned their band formation for him, and he was a little offended by that. But they were both smiling and waving at him, Rayla with her saxophone, and Callum with his dorky clarinet. Soren gave them a wave back. 

He quickly got things to cool down in the locker room, chugged some gatorade, and then he was headed back out. Was he supposed to leave? Probably not. Would his coach yell at him? Remained to be seen. But no one was stopping him, and Claudia had seen his big moment, so he would see hers. 

He made it to the fence where his Dad was standing, next to Harrow with a video camera and Ezran. Runaan was standing a few paces away with his own camera and a man Soren didn’t recognize. Soren couldn’t blame him, he’d heard about the bake sale incident. “Aren’t you supposed to be resting?” Viren immediately asked as he came up.

“Daaad,” He whined, “can we not? For once?”

Viren sighed, “Nice work,” He said, patting Soren on the back through his shoulder pads. He could hardly feel it, but knowing the pride was there was enough. 

“Here they come!” Harrow said, bouncing and probably ruining the quality of the video he was taking. 

The band marched onto the field, Claudia leading the way. Their movements were even and sharp, as they should be for all the evenings they’d stayed late practicing in the parking lot. Or so Claudia had complained to him. 

Claudia took the podium set up in front of them, standing over them to see everything. “Attention!” She shouted, and the band came to attention. 

She lifted her arms and the band lifted their instruments to their lips. She started conducting and as one, the band moved.

It was a dragon themed show this year. They did theme music from How To Train Your Dragon, The Hobbit, and Neverending Story. At one point they formed a straight line, which twirled into a long eastern-style dragon that made its way across the field. 

Soren clapped loud and hard watching them go and listening to the music. 

“DARK!” He heard a shout from behind and flinched. 

“Looks like coach got me,” he said, retreating to the flushed angry face of his coach, “Ezran! Save me some popcorn!” 

“You got it!” Ezran agreed, holding up his own container as the band finished their routine. 

Soren gave him a thumbs up, and was about to run back when his Dad called back to him. “Soren!” Viren yelled. 

Soren stopped in his tracks, confused. “Yeah?”

Viren smiled, “Give ‘em hell!” 

Soren smiled back and saluted him. His dad hadn’t been much like the other football dads, not understanding much about the sport himself, but it was the little moments where Viren tried that made him happy.


	15. Band Trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia, Rayla, and Callum are going on a band trip to Disney World! but can they survive the 12 hour long bus ride to get there?

“It’s not fair!” Soren said, pouting, “I want to go on a trip to Disney!”

“Shoulda been a nerd,” Claudia said, loading her bags onto the travel bus. 

Soren whined. Viren and Harrow were working, so it was his job to give a ride to the self-proclaimed nerds and take the car home. “Callum,” Soren said, in a faux whisper, “Sneak me onto the bus!” 

“And then what?” Callum said, “You’ll be trapped in Florida without a disney ticket!”

“I have an emergency credit card!” Soren said, “I’ll buy one on the way!”

Callum rolled his eyes, stuffing his own belongings in. “Someone’s gotta look after Ezran while we’re gone. You’re just going to leave him? All alone? With our DADS?”

Soren’s pout got more and more pathetic. “Don’t have too much fun,” He told them. 

Rayla arrived then, rushing as she was late, the bus almost completely packed. “Sorry, sorry!” She said, giving a quick hug to Runaan before running up, “Forgot sunscreen!”

“Yeah, that’s gonna be a problem in Florida,” Callum said, “Come on, seat buddy, you brought Spirited Away?”

Rayla stared at him “I thought YOU were bringing it!”

“No, I brought Howl’s Moving Castle,” Callum said, “We talked about this!” 

Rayla groaned, taking out her own copy of Howl’s Moving Castle, “It’s a 12 hour drive, and we have ONE damn movie?!”

They both sighed. “We’ll figure something out,” Callum said, and they got on the bus. 

The first hour or so was excited chatting, about where they were going, what they’d do in Disney, and settling in for the long, long busride down to Florida. 

After that, Rayla and Callum watched their one movie with a portable DVD player and a headphone splitter. By the time it was done, they still had 9 hours left to go. Not including rest stops and dinner and whatever else. “I mean, I guess we could sleep?” Rayla said, bored, uncomfortable, and not ready to sleep.

“Who needs sleep?!” Claudia startled them from behind. She took a big sip from her giant thermos of coffee, “I’m going straight on through Disney, baby!” She cheered, getting responding cheers and laughter from other people on the bus. 

Callum had some more practical solutions, pulling out a deck of cards, “You know any games?”

There were limited games they could play with two people, but they pulled in people from surrounding seats, risking all the cards flying loose on the bus. Still, it was better than nothing. 

They stopped at a truck stop with several fast food options, the kids scattering and stuffing their faces with junk food. 

By the time they got back on the bus, they were all sleepy…...except for Claudia. “Woo!” She cheered, “Party Bus! Lets get this going!” She turned on her music, wearing sunglasses she most definitely didn’t need. 

“Claudia…” Callum mumbled, “It’s nearly 11:00 and we’re getting to Florida at like, 7am. I think it’s time to turn in.”

“No way, Jose,” She cheered, standing at her seat and pretending to dance with her phone raised in the air, speakers on blast.

“My name is Callum…” He muttered.

“Claudia,” Rayla said, trying to be reasonable, “Don’t you want your energy to be saved for Disney?”

“Don’t need to,” She said, “With this beautiful magical potion, I can go for days.” She kicked back her coffee like a shot glass in a movie.

“Well, we’re going to sleep,” Callum said, using his jacket as a blanket, “Have fun partying.” Rayla and several other students murmured agreements and started curling up, trying to find the best way to be comfortable on the bus seats.

They woke to the sunrise, in Florida and zeroing in on Disney World. The Band Director passed a box of bagels down the line. “Claudia, they have cinnamon raisin,” Callum said, “That’s your fave, right? Claudia?” 

He sat up in his seat and looked back. Claudia was passed out on her seat, snoring and dead to the world.


	16. Best Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harrow is upset as he looks for a place for himself and his fiancé Sarai to live. Luckily, he has the best law partner in the world to help him out.

Harrow lay his head down on his desk and groaned. “There, there,” His secretary, Opeli said, with very little comfort as she lay papers around his head for him to sign once he was done moping. 

Viren stood in the doorway, chewing on the bag of snacks he had just procured from the vending machine. “What’s his problem?” He said to Opeli, acting as though the pitiable man was not in hearing range. 

“Something with his housing application or something,” Opeli answered, not looking up from her packet of papers, going through them to see if there was anything else she needed him to sign, “He was whining about it all morning.”

Harrow glared up at her, “I’m your boss, you know.”

“So you keep telling me,” She said, satisfied with her delivery and pushing past Viren to return to her job, the only one of the three of them who seemed concerned with that as a priority. 

Viren stuffed one of the….well he wasn’t really sure what snack he had grabbed, they sort of had the consistency of styrofoam….into his mouth and looked pityingly at his friend. “Missed out on the dream home?”

“It was the best one, Viren!” Harrow said, “It had a pool for Callum, and a nice yard...we could get a dog...and there’s an extra room for…” Harrow swallowed awkwardly, “For another kid, maybe….”

Viren smirked, “Oh my God, you’re adorable.”

Harrow frowned at him, “Look, not all of us are cynical about everything.”

“I’m not cynical,” Viren said, “I’m practical.”

“That’s what a cynical person would say,” Harrow said, finally looking through his papers.

“Now you sound like my wife,” Viren said, though his face immediately fell. 

Harrow winced, unsure how to broach the topic. Lacking any tactful way, he decided to just go for it. “How are things going? Between you and Maileen?”

Viren took a long breath through his nose. “Ok,” He finally said, “Still going to couples counseling….we’ll see.” 

Harrow nodded, sympathetic. “Well, you know I’m here if you ever need anything. Even just looking after Soren and Claudia. They’re close to Callum’s age, I’m sure they’d all get along swimmingly.”

“Mmhmm,” Viren said, doubting it. “Don’t worry about it. You’re the one with the problem here.” 

Harrow groaned again, putting his face down on his desk. “What am I going to do? Sarai and I are getting married in just a few MONTHS, and my apartment can’t fit her AND Callum….”

Viren smirked, sliding in the seat usually reserved for clients. “Well, just sit back,” Viren said, “Because I’m about to blow your mind.” 

A month later, Viren and Harrow were struggling, carrying a large armchair into Harrow’s new house. 

Before they could quite make it to the door, they were passed by Sarai and Amaya, carrying a whole couch by themselves, much faster than Harrow and Viren, and carrying a small, smiling Callum on top of it. “Gentlemen,” Sarai said, passing them, while Amaya snickered.

“It’s not just about weight, you know!” Viren called after her, walking backwards to carry in the chair, “This one is just more awkward to hold.”

After putting down the couch, Amaya signed something to Sarai to make her laugh. Viren didn’t know any ASL, but he was sure it wasn’t good.

“Play nice,” Harrow said, setting down the chair beside the couch. “She’s your neighbor now.”

Viren smirked. Looking out Harrow’s front window, he could see his own car in his own driveway, where Claudia and Soren were playing. “You know, we’re probably going to get sick of each other.”

“Probably,” Harrow smiled, stretching his arm, “But we can carpool at least.”

Viren snorted. He and Harrow had been friends since Law School, when they had decided to go into business together. They had succeeded. He knew he’d do anything for his best friend.


	17. Happy Birthday Rayla

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rayla wakes up to her birthday. What could possibly make the day any better?

Rayla smiled and stretched in the morning light. “It’s my birthday,” she said with a smile. 

She looked out her window and was almost surprised to see Xadia outside. She had finally gotten used to waking up in her uncle Runaan’s home in America, she hadn’t yet readjusted to being in her own home for Summer break.

She skipped lightly down the steps, allowing herself to wake up gradually and naturally the way she wanted, smelling the sweet smells of the kitchen. “It’s my birthday!” she said.

“I know!” Her father said, turning from the stove top to smile at her, “Wait just a minute, your moonberry pancakes are almost ready.”

She smiled and went to plop herself on the couch, opening up her laptop. The most annoying thing about being in Xadia was her friends were all now in a different timezone. Well, it was summer, maybe a few of them had stayed up late enough they could chat. 

Naruto-Gun  
It’s my birthday!!!!!  
Well, over here, anyway. I think you guys have a couple hours to get me something.

She waited, staring at the chat window, hoping for the message to get read by one of them. After a minute of staring, there was no sign. Damn her friends, being responsible. It was unfair. 

She was happily distracted as her dad bought her a plate of moonberry pancakes. “Where’s mom?” she asked. 

“Had to run out for a last minute errand,” he said.

Rayla was jumping just a bit, “Gettin’ presents?” She said slyly. 

He frowned at her, hiding a smile, “What, you got a plate full of special pancakes and you want MORE things?” She frowned at him in turn, and he broke, trying to cover his laughter with a bite of pancakes. “We might have a surprise or two up our sleeves.”

“Whatisitwhatisitwhatisit?” She asked, intentionally childish. If you couldn’t be childish on your birthday, when could you? 

“You’ll see,” he said, ruffling her already messy hair. “But you might want to finish your breakfast so you can go get dressed.”

She shoved a giant bite of deliciousness into her mouth. “We going somewhere?”

“You’ll see~~” he said, getting more sing-songy and higher pitched. She groaned, but shoveled down her breakfast to put on some clothes. 

One nice thing about being home was she didn’t have to wear their dumb school uniform here. It was so nice to be in her comfy clothes. Still, it was her birthday, so she got her favorite green t-shirt and some jeans, before coming back down. “Ok, I’m ready for my surprise now!” 

Her dad chuckled, “I don’t think you know how surprises work, moonbeam.” She groaned again. She was so ready to go, “Your surprise is on the way, I promise. Want to veg out and watch some anime?”

Her dad didn’t really get anime, but she appreciated the effort of watching it with her. She liked the school she went to out in America, but she had really missed her parents too. 

She did notice, however, her dad continually checking his cell phone and messaging someone, most likely her mother. She made a swipe for it, but he had longer limbs and kept it well out of arms reach. 

Finally, he got a text and turned to her, “Your surprise has arrived.”

She leaped up from the couch and ran to the front door, wondering what her mother had in store for her. Maybe a new car? But that wouldn’t make sense because she was going back to America in the fall. It had to be something big that they wouldn’t have just hidden it in the house ahead of time. 

As she opened the door, she didn’t see her mother though. Instead she saw Callum, Soren, Claudia, and Ezran, all holding boxes. “SURPRISE!!!” They all shouted together.

Rayla gaped, “You’re--! You’re here!” she said, “You’re in Xadia! You--!” Her words literally failed her, “Get over here!” and she pulled them all into a tight hug. 

She saw her mother chatting with Harrow and Viren over their shoulders as Callum explained they decided to take a family trip to come and visit, and Ezran had the great idea that it would be a surprise and then they all started talking over each other and laughing until her dad came and suggested they move the party inside.

Rayla couldn’t stop smiling the whole day. Her birthday was the best day ever.


	18. Think of the Children

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viren and his wife are going through a rough time, but the ones who suffer are Claudia and Soren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angst angst angst, divorce, angst.

“ALL I’M DOING IS TRYING TO HELP YOU!”

“YOU DECIDING WHATS GOOD FOR ME AND WHAT’S NOT ISN’T HELP!”

Claudia tried to focus on her coloring book, she really did. She wasn’t really good with staying in the lines yet, but it was still a pretty mermaid, so she didn’t see that as too big of a problem. 

She kept trying to stretch her ears to try and figure out what they were saying. She didn’t understand a lot of it, she was only 5. Things about money and...and talking too much or not talking enough….not spending enough time….something about talking to other guys or other ladies, but then they’d say they hadn’t….

She didn’t get why any of that mattered. When she and Soren yelled at each other, her parents said it was bad, but here they were, fighting and yelling and doing all the things they’d told her and Soren NOT to do.

She jumped at the sound of a knock on her door. “Claudia?” Soren whispered through the crack in the wood, “Lemme in.” 

Claudia jumped up and cracked open the door. Soren closed it very slowly, the doorknob turned so it didn’t make a sound. “You ok?” He asked.

Claudia nodded, “I’m colorin’”

Soren smiled, ignoring the muffled yelling from downstairs. “Wanna make a fort with me?”

They quickly dumped out all the nice dresses they had hanging in Claudia’s closet and yanked off all the pillows and blankets off of their beds. Claudia and Soren lined the closet with her big comforter and set out pillows to rest on. 

Soren went and grabbed a portable lamp from their camping gear and setting it up inside before sliding the door shut with them both curled up in it. 

All sounds were muffled inside the closet, but there was still indistinguishable talking. “Are we gonna have to split up?” Claudia asked, remembering the movie The Parent Trap. She and Soren weren’t identical twins, but she couldn’t imagine being separated from him for so long. 

Soren looked sad too for a moment, but quickly replaced it with a smile. “Nah, of course not,” he said, and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, “Come on, lets get to coloring.”

Claudia knew Soren hated coloring, but she was still grateful that he sat with her anyway. 

They had almost fell into something peaceful, the muffled sounds getting lower, when something crashed and the yelling started again.

Claudia sniffled, ready to cry. She wanted to help, but she would just be in the way. She didn’t understand.

Soren maneuvered to sit next to her and pressed his hands against her ears, and then pulled her to him. She sniffled into his chest as they lay back on the pillows, doing what they could to ignore what was happening below them.

An hour later, Viren was sitting and drinking some of his liquor he kept hidden from the kids. He really wasn’t a heavy drinker and had no intention of becoming one, but he needed just...just something.

Maileen had stormed out, and didn’t tell him where. It was becoming more and more clear, no matter how many counseling sessions they went to, this was coming to an end. He had no idea what to do with the kids--The Kids!!

He set his glass down and ran upstairs. “Soren?” he called, opening his room, but his son wasn’t inside. 

He went to Claudia’s instead, “Claudia, are you--” 

As soon as he opened the door he was confronted with a mountain of what seemed to be every dress that Claudia owned. As he was trying to figure that out, he noticed a light coming from the closet, which most definitely was not fitted with a light. 

He opened it, releasing fabric that had been jammed in the cracks and allowing it to fall down. 

Inside, he found Soren, curled up around Claudia protectively, hands on her ears, even as they both slept.

That was the moment he truly felt his heart break.


	19. Social Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amaya is a social worker at Breach the Barrier, a disability foundation. Her interpreter Gren, however, is more worried about her social life.

“Senator, Senator,” Gren interpreted, “Senator, if you’d let me speak.”

Gren kept signing as well, indicating the senator on the other line had in fact NOT stopped speaking. “We’re in an election year,” the senator said, “And Virginia is a swing state. I can’t go giving government funds to every bleeding heart organization or I’ll lose the republican base. And if that happens, you’ll be lucky if the next guy doesn’t shut you down.”

“We’re a political organization as well, Senator,” Amaya signed, as Gren interpreted into the phone, “Let us help you spin this, we can make it appeal to everyone.”

“Then tell me,” The senator said, “How would you spin this?”

Amaya clicked her tongue in irritation. “There are two groups of people that everyone, regardless of political affiliation, cares about,” she said, “Children and Veterans. We here at Breach the Barriers are dedicated to helping all disabled members of our community--including the groups people care most about--get back to work, get back to being able to care for themselves. It’s not just a hand out, it’s a hand up.”

Amaya waited silently, staring at Gren, who was silent waiting for the answer. Amaya frowned at the long silence. “Did he hang up?” she signed at Gren. Gren signed no. 

Finally Gren started signing again, “I might be able to sell that. Let me talk to my people and have them call you back.” 

“Wait, Senator,” Amaya signed quickly. She knew a brush off when she heard it, “Let me sell it to them. We can come down to your office Friday, and schedule a presentation right there with you, answer any questions your team could possibly have.”

Silence again. Ironically, Amaya hated silence. Not literal, obviously, she just hated waiting for a response. “Alright,” Gren signed, “My assistant will send you our information. Make sure you have your identification and everything up to date, so we can get you through security.”

“Thank you, Senator,” She sighed as Gren hung up the phone, but not as deeply as Gren did. Amaya was lucky, interpreting over the phone like this would be difficult for some of the best interpreters. But in her opinion, she had the VERY best, so he managed. It didn’t hurt that she was fond of the kid. 

He slumped forward a moment, allowing himself his moment of rest. He lifted his head back up with Herculaen effort. “A presentation Friday is going to throw off our whole schedule.”

“Let me worry about that,” Amaya said, pulling up her keyboard to send out e-mails to people who were willing to actually communicate with her via e-mail, unlike the Senator. She’d be working through the weekend, it looked like. She had promised to take Callum and Ezran for ice cream and ASL lessons, but maybe they’d be ok with going late on Saturday. “You don’t have to come in Saturday and Sunday,” she said, “but if you’d do a quick call for me Saturday afternoon, I’d really appreciate it. We can do it over skype, you don’t even have to wear pants.”

Gren snickered. “Don’t you ever want a social life?” He asked.

She smirked, “I’m a social WORKER,” she said, “That is my life.” Gren rolled his eyes, “I have family I care for and work I enjoy, that’s more than most people,” She said, “Besides, I can’t go having this place falling apart.”

Her eyes drifted to the portrait of Sarai that hung on the wall. Breach the Barrier had been the both of their babies that they’d worked on TOGETHER. With her gone….it was the best way she had to stay close to her sister.

Gren tapped her on the shoulder, getting her attention. “She’d want you to be happy, you know that.”

Amaya sighed, ruffling his hair the way she knew irritated him, “I am happy, Strawberry.” Gren sighed. He half hated, half loved the name sign she’d given him, making a ‘G’ with her dominant hand and turning it around her index finger like the sign for Strawberry, for his strawberry blonde hair. His name was short enough, he usually just spelled it. 

Movement out the side of her eye caught her attention. There was a beautiful black woman with long dreads standing there, and what looked like a golden tattoo sleeve. She looked...familiar. “Excuse me,” Amaya read her lips as best she could, “I’m here for an interview? But there was no one at the front desk.”

Amaya gulped and signed, “That’s because the front desk is the position you’re interviewing for.” The woman’s eyes flickered to Gren, who was interpreting for her, but she tried to keep her eyes on Amaya. Amaya appreciated that, “We’re very short staffed at the moment.”

The woman smiled, keeping eye contact with Amaya before signing, “Well, I hope to help with that. I’m Janai.”

Amaya clenched her teeth. Oh, she was screwed. What was worse, she knew Gren knew she was screwed, she could feel the contained laughter emanating off him. “Please, have a seat, Janai” She signed, and indicated a free rolling chair beside her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if Gren has a name sign in the show, I'm not good enough yet, but I like the idea of Amaya giving him one.


	20. Martial Arts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callum and Ezran are invited to one of Rayla's Martial Arts competitions, but aren't sure what to expect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> when ya don't know anything about something, you make up stuff about Xadia. Sorry, thats just the rules.

“Uh,” Callum said, intimidated by the very idea of social interaction with a stranger, “We’re here for the, um, Umbra Pugna competition?”

The woman at the desk pointed them in the direction of the gymnasium, and Callum took Ezran’s hand to get to his destination as quickly as he could. 

This school was quite a bit out of the way than Callum had ever been before, and it was setting him on edge a bit. Claudia and Soren had things to do, and Viren and Harrow both had work, so Harrow agreed to drop Callum and Ezran off and promise to come pick them up after. 

Callum had never HEARD of Umbra Pugna before. A cursory google and some context from Rayla revealed it as like, some form of martial arts they did in Xadia? It wasn’t as well known in America, hence the competition being at the far end of the whole damn state, but Rayla seemed excited. 

The gymnasium was sparsely populated, mostly parents of the competitors it seemed, but what was more interesting was the arena. Large black mats had been set up through the center of the gym, and tall foam covered pillars were scattered throughout. If it didn’t seem so intentional, Callum would have been sure it was a mistake. 

“Look, there’s Rayla’s uncle,” Ezran said, pulling Callum’s hand through the door and inside, firmly putting them forward as spectators. 

Runaan looked up when they approached, “Ah, Rayla’s friends,” he said, a little coolly, “Rayla wasn’t sure if you were going to come.”

“Took a while to get here,” Callum said, “Our dad took the wrong turn.” Runaan nodded. He never seemed like the most open person, it somewhat weirded Callum out. “Where’s Rayla.”

Runaan took a sharp inhale, “In the warm-up room,” he said, “An important aspect of Umbra Pugna is adapting to a new environment. Therefore, competitors are not allowed to see the arena before their match.”

Callum and Ezran gave each other confused looks, “So, like,” Ezran said, “Those pillar-thingies?”

“Precisely.” Runaan said, without wanting to elaborate. 

Runaan went back to watching the organizers set up the arena obstacles, bringing out small foam-covered walls as well. As Callum looked, he saw there were in fact 3 segments to the arena, like courts. 

“So…” Callum started, a little awkward, “What, uh, What exactly IS Umbra Pugna?”

Runaan looked down at him, and Callum wasn’t sure if he was judging him or that was just his face, but he shrank in on himself a bit. “Umbra Pugna is a martial art that depends on using your environment to your advantage. It was developed in Xadia to fight off Roman conquerors in forested areas in the late 1st/early 2nd century. It is similar to Guerilla warfare tactics, but has been adapted as a form of competition.” 

Callum and Ezran blinked at him with blank stares. Runaan sighed. “It’s like Karate, but with stuff in the way.”

“Ohhh,” The brothers said in unison. 

Just then, the door opened at the end of the hall, and a number of students came out, about Rayla’s age, but some nearly as young as Ezran, all blindfolded and lead by one of the organizers. 

There were 6 total. Callum wondered if that was all the competitors there were or if these were just the ones brought out to compete. Rayla was one of them, and was brought to the center arena, right in front of them. Callum and Ezran wanted to wave to her, but she was still blindfolded. 

Judges were set up next to each of the arenas. The center one held up his hand, an indication to the others. He blew his whistle in two rapid tweets, and all the competitors got into a ready position. Then he blew it once, and as one the competitors tore off their blindfolds and jumped into the arena. 

Callum, Ezran, and Runaan kept their eyes glued to Rayla, who jumped up onto one of the pillars as her opponent dove behind a wall. She leaped from pillar to pillar, narrowing in on him. Before she got to the last, he rolled out of the way, finding a new hiding spot. 

They followed that pattern a couple times, Rayla having taken the high ground while her opponent kept low, trying to find a place she couldn’t see him. 

Finally the game of cat and mouse came to an end as the opponent pulled Rayla out of the air, where she landed on her back. A timer started, but she flipped up on her hands and the timer stopped. 

She was quickly now able to flip her opponent over instead, pinning him to the ground. Her face was full of cold determination as the timer started again, until it beeped at 3 minutes and she released him. 

“Yeah Rayla!!!” Ezran shouted, jumping up and down. She turned in surprise as Ezran and Callum cheered, determination melting to the biggest smile they’d seen.


	21. The Perfect Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viren needs Sarai to give him a lift on a rainy, miserable day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH, Canonical character death

“Hurry up, please?” Viren said, typing furiously on his phone, trying to reassure his client. He had been litigating a case between a couple and their neighbor about property issues, and now the husband had been stupid enough to get in a fight with said neighbor. Both he and the neighbor had been arrested, and the wife was freaking out over the phone.

“Viren, I’m going 10 over the speed limit in pouring rain,” Sarai said, impatient, “Be grateful I’m giving you a ride at all.”

Because of course this was all happening the day he and Harrow had carpooled and now Harrow had taken the car out to visit with ANOTHER client. Sarai, thankfully, had been home and was able to get her sister to babysit so had come to pick him up. He didn’t even take the time to grab the keys from her, just hopped in the front seat and told her to drive. 

The rain had picked up as they were driving, another fun cherry on this already perfect Sunday. The words ‘Perfect Storm’ kept repeating in his mind as he grinded his teeth. 

“So,” Sarai said, “Do you like country?”

Viren frowned at her, “What?”

“Country,” Sarai said, “a lot of people don’t, and some have good reasons, but I don’t know, sometimes a good country song really puts me in this relaxed mindset, ya know?”

Viren blinked, wondering what the hell she was going on about. “I don’t…” he said, “What are you even talking about?”

“I’m making conversation,” Sarai said, “We still have, what 10 minutes til we make it to county jail, and we’ve known each other for a couple years now. I feel like we haven’t really talked or gotten to know each other.”

Viren’s brain was stuck, still half with his client and half trying to figure her out. A lot of his time with Sarai was spent just trying to figure her out. “We know each other.”

“What’s my favorite food?” She asked, giving him an eyebrow.

Viren thought. They’d been out to dinner before, the two of them and Harrow, and his wife before the divorce (that was a nice fresh scar). He had seen her eat before. “Jelly...tarts with mustard?”

“Pregnancy cravings dont count.” She made a disgusted face, “I still can’t believe Harrow let me eat those.”

“Harrow would do just about anything to make you happy,” Viren said. He sighed, thinking of their time before, before wives, before kids, before jobs….back when everything was simpler.

Sarai gave him a soft smile. “I know he cares about you a lot too,” She said, “He talks about your time in school together all the time. You know, I actually was a little jealous of you for a while.”

Viren screwed up his face, “Me and Harrow?”

“Crazier things have happened,” Sarai said.

Viren shook his head, “Even if….I mean, Harrow doesn’t exactly swing that way, so--”

“And you?” She asked. Viren opened his mouth to say something, but the words caught in his throat. He didn’t. He wasn’t. Maybe some thoughts once or twice, but that didn’t mean….he had had a wife! Whom he loved! And it hadn’t worked, but that didn’t mean anything or--

Sarai was already smiling, knowingly, “See, we’re finding out more about each other already,” She said, and she actually sounded kind. “Me too, by the way.” 

He frowned at her, fitting this new information into his mental picture of his friends wife. “Does Harrow know?” She nodded, “He doesn’t know about me, so, um. I’d appreciate--”

“Not a word, my friend,” She said. Viren smirked. He hadn’t thought to call Sarai a friend before now. “But whenever you’re ready, IF you’re ever ready, you should know he loves you no matter--”

Viren doesn’t remember precisely what happened next. He had flashes, bullet points he could weave into a narrative. 

Thunder crashing above, with a blinding strike of lightning, hitting the traffic light before them. 

Sarai grabbing the wheel in a death grip, slamming the brakes that did nothing. 

Another car, too close, far too close. He saw the faces of two women inside as terrified as he felt. 

A screech. A crunch. 

When Viren woke up, his vision was blurry and he felt something heavy on his chest, listening as sirens approached. It was only later he realized the weight was Sarai, having died to push him out of the way.


	22. Shopping Trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia decides to take Rayla with her for a girls' trip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> something a little lighter to make up for yesterday.

“Where’s Callum and Soren?” Rayla asked as they stepped onto the bus. Claudia technically had her license, but she wasn’t allowed to drive with other kids yet. 

“Who knows?” Claudia said, pulling her to a seat, “Not to get too into gender roles, but it’s nice to be away from the boys a bit, don’t you think?”

Rayla blinked. Callum was her best friend, and while she liked Claudia and Soren, it was weirder to be doing something with them without him. “Um, I guess.”

Claudia rolled her eyes dramatically. Claudia liked doing things dramatically, “Come on, haven’t you ever seen like, ANY movie?” Rayla blinked again. She mostly watched anime. “We’re going on a shopping trip!!!”

When they arrived at the mall, Claudia looped her arm in Rayla’s and the girls went skipping inside. Claudia’s giggles were infectious, and Rayla quickly felt herself getting swept up in it. 

They went to the clothing store first, and Rayla was a little uncomfortable. She didn’t really like clothes all that much? Like, she didn’t like her uniform, and she didn’t consider herself a slob, but wasn’t a fashionista either. 

Claudia quickly dashed any notions she had about having to care about latest styles or anything fancy. She seemed just as unconcerned with the notion as Rayla was, choosing instead to search for the most HEINOUS item she could find and trying to convince Rayla to wear it. 

“I have never seen a shirt the color of neon puke before,” Rayla said, holding up the blouse as Claudia cackled. 

“Oh my gosh, it completely washes you out,” she said. Rayla scowled at her, “You look so pale! You have to put it on so I can take a picture.”

“Why would I do that?” Rayla asked, trying to push the blouse back at Claudia.

“Because it’d be hilarious!” She said, “Here, you wear that, and I’ll wear….” She pulled a dress off the rack, a dress that was more ruffle than dress, “This!” She giggled, checking the size to make sure she would actually fit, “We’ll both have pictures, so if either of us show anyone else, the other one will have their picture for blackmail.”

Rayla couldn’t help but laugh at the strange plan. Sighing and shaking her head as she couldn’t believe she was about to do this, “....alright.”

Claudia was right, the shirt washed Rayla out so much she looked like a pale ghost. Claudia, meanwhile, looked like a garish wedding cake. They both giggled until they were clutching their stomachs at each other, and then posing dramatically for photos. 

After a few more outfits, crazy shoes and wild hats, they came out the store laughing, and gaining some glares from the clerks as they didn’t buy anything. 

Claudia took her to a store called ‘Lunchbox’ to do what seemed to be her REAL shopping, looking for the goth-est clothing she could find. There were a lot of other fandom stuff, none that Rayla really wanted to buy, but she liked looking at it all, and had fun looking around. 

Claudia came out with a black and green tulle skirt, a black and red leather corset, combat boots, a spiked collar with matching bracelets, and some temporary hair dye. “You think my dad will explode LITERALLY when he sees this, or only figuratively?”

Rayla took a heavy breath. If she came home in that, her uncle might just ship her back to Xadia. Then again, she didn’t think she could pull off the corset that well. “It’s certainly a look,” She said.

Claudia did a twirl, far more perky than her clothing would suggest. “I’ve been trying to convince him to let me get like, a tattoo or an eyebrow piercing,” She said, “He’s put his foot down on belly button and tongue, and insists I turn 18 before I do anything more than my ears, but it’s a work in progress.”

Rayla smirked. She didn’t have any piercings, not even her ears. She really hated needles. But Claudia could probably pull it off. “Alright, now your turn,” Claudia said and dragged her down the halls. 

“What, Claudia!” Rayla said, trying to reel her back in, “I don’t know any stores here!” 

“I know!” She said, “But you’ll like this one.”

Rayla didn’t even see the name of the store before she was inside. She was surrounded with anime plushies, figurines, manga books, dvds…..”My uncle’s gonna be so mad,” She said.

“Why?”

“Because I’m about to spend my entire allowance,” she said, grabbing hold of the plushies to see which was the softest. Claudia laughed.


	23. D&D

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viren reluctantly teaches the children how to play D&D

“Why did I agree to this, again?” Viren asked as his children cleared off the table better than they had in years. 

“Because you’re the one who was a nerd and have actually played before,” Claudia said. Viren glared at her for the nerd statement. She shrugged, unapologetic. 

“I wrote up my character backstory,” Soren said, laying his pages on the table, “The Poet Fighter, a lonely wandering knight who writes about his tragedies to ease his pain.”

Viren picked up the papers, looking them over quickly, “Is this the back of your homework assignments?”

Soren snatched the papers back, putting them on his spot. 

Viren hadn’t played D&D since undergrad, but when he made his children clean up, they had discovered some of his old books and figurines and dice, and then wouldn’t stop begging until he taught them how to play. That would have been fine, if they hadn’t then insisted on bringing their friends over to play as well. 

This was his punishment for trying to be a responsible parent.

The doorbell rang, and as Claudia and Soren seemed too excited picking out figurines to play with, he sighed and went to get the door.

If there was anything to make this night worse, it was the face in the doorway. “You’re not staying, are you?” he asked Runaan.

“No,” Runaan said, “Text me when you need a ride home,” he told Rayla, and then swiftly turned out the door. 

Rayla looked between them awkward, “Bye,” she said to here uncle. “Can...I come in?”

“Rayla!” Claudia said, and Rayla was pulled inside to look at figurines too. 

Viren was about to close the door, when he saw Harrow walking his own goblins over to his house. “Hey there, Dungeon Master!” Harrow said, beaming, happier than he should have been, “You ready for the big game. 

Viren sighed, letting Callum and Ezran run in. “Can I join too?” Harrow asked.

“We already have 5 players,” Viren said, “That’s my limit.” 

“Well can I just watch?” He said, smirking. 

Viren did not smile, “There are children in this household, Harrow.” That made Harrow laugh. 

“Alright, you have fun!” Harrow said cheerfully, and Viren slammed the door in his face. 

“I wanna be a mage!” Callum said, “Shoot lightning and stuff.”

“Can I have a pet dragon?” Ezran asked, “Or like, a dog? Or a frog!” 

“I want to be an assassin,” Rayla said, “Covered in the dead of night.” She put her hands over her face in disguise.

Viren sighed, “Alright,” he said, “Let’s start with character creation.”

Character creation took several hours and it was clear that was all they were getting done that day. Soren was their human fighter, that was easily worked out. Rayla wanted to be an elf rogue, but not just any elf, one with horns and purple-pink skin. (“You could just be a tiefling…” “No, I’m an elf.”)

Callum and Claudia both wanted to be magic users, so Callum went as a wizard, and Claudia as a warlock, no matter how many times Viren tried to push the fact a cleric would be helpful. Ezran was the trickiest, bouncing between bard, ranger, sorceror, before finally settling on Druid. It wasn’t the MOST balanced party, but they were kids, and Viren wasn’t going to just kill their characters outright. 

By the time they had all their stats and equipment, it was too late to actually start playing the game, which disappointed them all, even Viren to some extent. Working on the campaign had been a decent distraction from his workload, but he was insistent on curfew, not so much for his own kids, but Ezran was drooping. 

“Can’t you just give us a hint?” Callum asked.

Viren sighed. It couldn’t hurt to give some of the worldbuilding he’d been working on. “Long ago there was a land rich in magic and wonder. In the old times, there were only the 6 primal sources of magic….”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My dad taught me D&D. Viren was a nerd in school and you can't convince me otherwise.


	24. Ring Bearer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Sarai and Harrow's wedding and Callum has a very important job.

“This is a very important responsibility, Callum,” Sarai said, “Are you sure you’re up for it?”

Callum nodded, very serious. He mustered up all the determination a 4 year old could. “Alright, then,” She said, patting him on the head, “I need to talk to your aunt for a minute. Will you go check in on Harrow and the rest, make sure they’re all set?”

“Ok,” He squeaked, holding the pillow, even though it didn’t have the rings on it yet. Those would be put on at the last minute, right before Callum walked down the aisle. That’s what they’d done during the rehearsal, but no one had been wearing nearly as nice clothes then. Callum was even given a suit! Which was very stuffy. But he’d live with it.

His mom was dressed really nice today, like Callum had never seen. His aunt had chided him when he asked for his mom to pick him up that morning, saying she shouldn’t wrinkle her dress, but his mom had waved her off and picked Callum up anyway. Sarai never complained that Callum was too heavy, and said she would carry him until he was 32 if he wanted. 

But now, charged with a duty, Callum went down the hall, still walking in the steps that they had taught him for the rehearsal dinner. It took him longer, but he needed to be very sure he wouldn’t trip and drop the rings. 

He needed someone to guide him toward the groom’s preparation room, some relative of Harrow’s, and he made his way inside. “But DAAAAD!” an older boy whined, “It’s not fair! Claudia’s in the wedding, I deserve to be too!”

Callum hesitated in the doorway. Inside were the two big kids from next door, Claudia and…..and the boy. Claudia was skipping around the room, holding a basket of flower petals that she was swinging around, more than a few petals leaking out. 

The boy was stamping his foot in front of his father, Mr. Dark. Mr. Dark was Harrow’s friend, and was wearing a flower in his jacket pocket which did not match him particularly well. He didn’t seem like the kind of guy to like flowers. “Soren, we’ve talked about this,” his father said. Right, the boy’s name was Soren, “Why don’t you go off and find your mother so you can get a seat for the ceremony?”

Soren stamped his foot again, “But I want to be in the wedding! It’s not fair, it’s not fair, it’s not FAIR! That other boy wasn’t even around before, he’s too little, he should let me carry the rings!”

Callum gasped low. They were trying to replace him? But he’d done all this practicing!

The gasp attracted the attention of the others in the room. He wished he could shrink as everyone just stared at him, but he felt tears coming to his eyes. “Oh dear,” Mr. Dark said, “Harrow! Are you done, we have a bit of a situation out here!” 

The door on the opposite door opened and Harrow stepped out, wiping his mouth, “I’m fine, I’m fine. I’m done, what is it--oh!” He smiled, “Hi Callum, what’s up? Is something up with your mom? Did she want to tell me something?” 

Callum wanted to answer, but he started tearing up. He heard Mr. Dark telling Harrow what had happened, which prompted Soren to start stomping his foot again. “Alright, alright,” He said, “A little diplomacy, Come on.” Harrow pulled Soren more towards Callum and kneeled in front of both of them. “Callum, I promise, you’ll still be the ring bearer. Soren,” He cut the boy off before he could complain again, “I need another groomsman to walk with your Dad and Sarai’s sister down the aisle. Can you do that for me?” 

Soren bloomed, and ran to get ready alongside Viren. “It’s not a wide aisle,” Viren said to Harrow.

“You’ll figure it out.” Harrow said, “Unless you want to be linked arms with Amaya?” Viren opened his mouth, but closed it again as he set Soren up with a flower like his own. 

“Really, though, Callum,” Harrow said, “Is everything ok?”

Callum nodded, still shy. “Mom said it was time to get everything ready.”

“Well, then, let’s do it,” He said, “Hug for good luck?” 

Callum nodded eagerly, and Harrow hugged him, but then he said, “Why does your breath smell weird?”

Harrow pulled back, covering his mouth, before darting off for the bathroom again. Viren intercepted him, offering a bottle and a box. “Mouthwash, gum.” Harrow took both and locked himself in. “Might want to chew the whole pack, you’ve got a pretty important kiss today.” Harrow muttered something Callum couldn’t hear. “You want me to get a bucket at the end of the aisle? Just in case?”

A bang came at the door and Viren chuckled, “Alright come on kids. Claudia, sit still. Let’s go get in line for the procession.”


	25. Egg Test

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rayla and Callum must face the horror of the American Health Education System.

“So, this is a fancy private American school, right?” Rayla asked, sitting mixed in the middle next to Callum.

“Uh,” Callum raised his eyebrow, wondering if this was an amnesia situation, “Yeah?”

“And like,” Rayla said, “all the classes are supposed to be better than regular publicly funded classes, right?”

“Where are you going with this?” Callum asked, absentmindedly sketching in his notebook.

Rayla leaned over, “Then why do the health classes still suck?”

“Good morning everyone,” Mr. Fen said, walking in a minute after the bell, “Today we’re starting our parenting unit. Remember no matter what kind of protection you think you have, if you have sex before marriage you are at a severe risk of producing a child.”

Rayla leaned over to Callum, whispering “What if my protection is gay?” Callum snorted, louder than he meant to as he tried to control himself. 

“Is there something funny, Mr. Prince?” Fen stared down the both of them.

Callum shook his head as quickly as he could, “No sir,” he said, “Just...thinking about those who scoff at abstinence.”

Fen obviously did not believe him, but rolled his eyes and moved on. “To understand the serious responsibility of the consequences of sex, we are distributing to each of you in pairs a fragile egg to look after as though it were your child. Your grade will be determined by the state of your egg at the end of the week. You’ll have a set of tasks to complete with your egg and partner, and will have to write up your results. Now,” He said, taking up his clipboard, “To divide you all into pairs.”

Callum used to hate getting teamed up. Either they would have to choose their own teams, which was torture, or they’d be thrust together by the teacher with extreme prejudice, another form of torture. But since Rayla had joined their school, she and Callum had systems worked out so they could work with each other. Rayla had found the pattern that Mr. Fen used to assign pairs, and exploited the system by moving just far enough away from Callum that he thought it would be fine. 

Sure enough, Mr. Fen placed the egg on Callum’s desk, and Rayla was the only girl (the guy only assigned boy/girl pairings) just far enough away to seem random, and they were triumphantly paired. 

“So. What do we do with the thing?” Rayla asked at lunch, holding the egg up.

“Let’s see,” Callum said, “We have to...successfully wrap the egg in a diaper, there’s a paper pattern here for us to cut out...take the baby on walks, ‘feed’ it, swaddle it, and put it to bed.” 

“How do you feed an egg?” Rayla asked, and Callum shrugged. “Ok, so, other than the diaper thing, it’s not like they’re going to have any proof that we did this stuff other than writing it down,” she said, “So we might as well just write out some bullshit like ‘oh it was so hard to keep it in mind and parenting is terrible, and I’ll die abstinent’ or whatever.” 

Callum paused. Technically, Rayla was right. “Yeah,” he said, “yeah, it’ll...it’ll be fine. Fen doesn’t need to know and like...he’s a jerk anyway...the assignment’s pretty heteronormative sex-negative crap….” He was scrambling a bit, but luckily Rayla could read him like a book. 

“You don’t want to lie,” Rayla said.

“I’m really not great at it,” Callum said, “I’m going to feel so guilty…”

Rayla sighed, not really upset. “We’ll go on the walk tomorrow after school. Though, I don’t know why eggs would need walks. It’s not a dog egg.”

Callum smiled, glad Rayla was willing to go along with him, “Maybe it’s a dragon egg.”

Rayla snorted, “Do dragons need walks?” 

“I guess not,” Callum said, laughing, “Maybe flies….?”

They both laughed.

They did not laugh the next day when Rayla jokingly strapped a leash to the egg, like it was a dog going for a walk, and then jokingly tossed it in the air, assuming it was safely in the leash. They did not laugh when the egg flew off the leash and fell into the lake. 

Callum and Rayla winced, looking at the egg rolling in the water, definitely cracked with egg fluid leaking out. “We’re bad parents.” Callum said. 

“Yeah,” Rayla said, “Luckily, I bought a spare at the supermarket,” she said, pulling it out of her pocket. 

Callum laughed again, glad Rayla was his partner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rayla was very careful, noting where Fen got the eggs to make sure the stamp on it matched. 
> 
> Also, did you know how Fen got his name? The writers would call him "Fake Gren" since he was the one talking with Amaya the most in season 2, and it got shortened to Fen. The writers hate him, so I decided to join in the fun.


	26. Meeting Families

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callum is invited to officially meet his biological father's family, along with his own family.

The car was silent as Harrow pulled into the neighborhood. Callum sat in the front seat, leg bouncing like no tomorrow, and hands gripping his pants leg in fists. Even Ezran could feel the tension, switching uncomfortably between watching out the window and trying to find a distraction on his nintendo switch. 

Before they knew it, they’d pulled up alongside the house that matched the coordinates on their GPS. Callum took a deep breath, and looked like he might throw up. “You don’t have to do this, you know,” Harrow said, “I can drive off, right now.”

Callum hesitated, but shook his head. “I think...wondering what would have been is going to be more anxiety inducing in the long run,” he said. Then he jerked his head up to Harrow. “Do you...want me to not want this?”

Harrow took a deep inhale. He’d been wondering the same question, almost as nervous as Callum. “I want you...to do what’s best for you.” he said, “That’s all I ever want.”

Callum’s mouth twitched. “That’s a cop-out answer you realize.”

“I think someone’s watching us through the window,” Ezran said, still looking at the house. Callum and harrow turned, seeing a small figure quickly close the blinds as she realized she’d been spotted.

Harrow chuckled, “Well. I guess we’d better go in.” Callum nodded and they got out the door.

They had hardly rung the doorbell when it opened, revealing Kalor with a big smile on his face, eyes fixed on Callum, “Callum! Hi!” Despite inviting them, he almost seemed surprised they were there. “And Harrow, good to see you. And, um,” He blinked at Ezran.

Harrow put his arms around both sons. “This is my younger son, Ezran.”

Kalor looked sad for just a moment. “You have your mother’s face,” He said, and Ezran tried not to look as awkward as he felt. “Come in, come in,” he finally said, as though he was remembering himself. “My husband’s making some lunch for us, it’s almost ready.”

“Oh, thank you,” Harrow said, “That’s very kind.”

As they stepped into the entrance, a little girl (no doubt the girl who’d been watching through the window) ran up. She couldn’t be more than half Ezran’s age as she looked between them all. “Which one’s my brother?” She asked.

Callum swallowed, “Um,” he said, “I guess...I guess that’s me--oof!” He was nearly thrown off his feet as the girl rammed into him, wrapping her arms around his waist she could barely reach. 

“My name’s Etara Sky, and I’m 4 years old and I like fairies!” She said, “Do you like fairies?”

Callum smirked, “Um, yeah, sure, I guess!”

“You should watch the tinkerbell movies with me!” She said, “They’re really good, and there’s one with pirates and--”

“Ok, Etara,” a man said, entering with a plate of sandwiches, “What have we said about personal space?” Etara reluctantly released Callum and stepped back. “Sorry about that, she’s very affectionate.”

“Oh, I don’t mind,” Callum said.

The man looked him over, and Callum had the uncomfortable feeling of being scanned. Thankfully, he turned his attention to the adult, Harrow. “I’m Torias.”

“Harrow,” he said, “Good to meet you.” Torias put the plate of sandwiches down and shook his hand.

Torias was still looking wary of Callum, “Please, dig in,” He said, indicating the sandwiches as everyone sat around the couches. 

Etara broke the tension, grabbing a sandwich and plopping herself next to Ezran. “Who are you?” she asked, bluntly.

“I’m Ezran,” he said, “I’m Callum’s brother.” 

She beamed, “That means you’re MY brother!” she said, and hugged him too.

The adults opened their mouths to try and figure out some way to explain, but Ezran just hugged her back, “Yeah, I guess I am!”

Etara was absolutely wiggling with joy at getting not one but TWO brothers on the same day. The adults and Callum all looked at each other, all anxious about how to integrate these two families...and there the youngest of them went, doing it for them. 

They couldn’t help but laugh.


	27. Stress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callum is drowning in his workload, and Harrow tries to help.

Harrow could feel the stress coming off Callum like waves of energy. He’d been holed up in his room all weekend studying, and Harrow was sure he had heard crying in there. 

With a peace offering of fajitas and cookies Harrow knocked on Callum’s door, “Hey buddy,” He said, opening the door a sliver, the hinges squeaking wildly, “You about ready for a break?”

“I can’t,” Callum said, and Harrow realized he was on his floor, eyes glazed over the computer screen. They looked pretty red, “The essay’s due tomorrow, and then I have a unit test on Tuesday, and a group project AND a presentation due on Wednesday, and Word crashed and erased my work so I have to start all over, plus we have band practice every day after school this week and--”

“Alright, I think I get a glimpse of the big picture,” Harrow said, coming in and sitting beside Callum. He set the tacos and cookies beside him, offering one to Callum. He didn’t take one. “When it rains it pours, huh kid?”

“I just…” he sniffled, “I had it. I had a plan. I was going to be able to handle it,” His lip quivered, “but the stupid essay got erased and I can’t…”

The tears started leaking out his eyes for what Harrow guessed was not the first time that day. He grabbed his shoulders and pulled him in, letting him lean against him and cry a little longer. “Hey, it’s alright,” he said, “I know you’re stressed now, but it’ll be ok. None of this is going to matter in the longrun.”

“That makes it worse!” Callum whined into Harrow’s shirt, “I’m like, killing myself over all this, and it’s not even going to matter! But I can’t just NOT do it or I’ll fail and THEN it’ll matter and I can’t….I just can’t win…”

He started crying a bit more and Harrow pulled him in tighter, “It’s ok,” he said, “It’s ok, it’s alright, let it out.”

“I can’t,” Callum continued to whine, “Every second I’m freaking out about it it means I’m not WORKING on it and that means it doesn’t get done as fast so I could stop freaking out and I just want my brain to STOP so I can do things, but I keep freaking out and I’m stuck in a goddamn LOOP!” 

Harrow patted his back, massaging slowly. “Ok, alright, the very first thing you need to do is this: Give yourself a break.”

“But I--”

“Ah-ah-ah,” Harrow cut him off, holding him closer, “Your brain isn’t a machine to work on things until they’re done. It needs rest, and I know that’s inconvenient, but you’ll work better with it.” Harrow moved the computer aside, making sure not to close it or any of the work Callum was doing. “Next, you need fuel,” He picked the fajita up and handed it to him, “They’re not exactly chef quality, but, it’s food.” 

Callum reluctantly picked up the plate and took the fajita. Harrow was never known for his cooking talents, but he did try. And after so long (Callum had skipped lunch) the food in itself was wonderful no matter how it was. “Better?”

Callum nodded, taking another bite. “Better.” He swallowed and reached for his computer again, before Harrow pushed it further away. “Come on, I ate, I--”

“A two second break isn’t going to refresh anything.” Harrow pushed the fajita at him again. “Keep going. Or do I have to feed you?”

Callum rolled his eyes, but that made Harrow happy. It was good to see him return to some of his normal teenage sass rather than stress-panic. He forced a cup of water on him too, and then rewarded him with cookies. “How about a nap?” Harrow asked.

“I’m not a baby,” Callum said, once he was finished eating, “and I still have too much to do. I don’t think I’d be able to sleep anyways.” 

“Then rest your eyes a bit,” Harrow said, pushing him to get up, “you’ve been staring at the computer too long, it’s bad for your eyes.”

Reluctantly, Callum got up, his bones creaking from laying on the floor. He lay on the bed, mostly just to appease Harrow until he left and he could work more, but as he lay down, he found the weight of all his stress laying on him, and his brain leaking away into sleep.

He woke up with a start after an annoying stress dream, and looked around. “Oh God...oh no, what time is it?” He asked, “Oh shit, I still have to get stuff done and--”

“It’s alright,” Harrow said, and Callum was surprised he was in the room, “You were only out for about an hour,” Callum’s stomach dropped as he thought of all the things he should have done in that hour. “But look.”

Harrow turned the computer to him, and Callum blinked. “My essay!” He finally cried out, “How did you--”

“I still have a few tricks up my sleeve,” Harrow said, smiling, “Come on, I’ll help you try and figure out the rest of the stuff you have, and maybe we’ll get more cookies.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not in school but I feel the Stress(tm)


	28. Senior Skip Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Villads was prepared for a quiet day...and then his students came.

Villads had a big cup of coffee, His favorite book in braille, and his comfiest sweatpants on as he walked into his classroom to start the day. He loved Senior Skip day. It wasn’t an official holiday and the administration tried to stop it wherever possible. As someone who just taught AP psych courses though, a popular class for the seniors, he was happy to have the paid day to just sit back at his desk and rela---

“Hi, Mr. Villads.”

Villads spluttered, a splash of coffee falling out of his mug. “Callum? What are you doing here?”

“Uh, it’s first period?” another voice, Rayla he recognized, spoke up, “When our class is?”

“Rayla!” He said, managing not to spill his coffee again, “But--it’s senior skip day, I thought you’d be off….running in the fields or drinking from solo cups or whatever kids do.”

“We’re not seniors, Mr. Villads,” A third voice, this one Claudia, spoke up. “Also who goes running in the fields on their day off?”

“My wife, Ruth, of course!” Mr. Villads said, “She enjoys a nice spry jog.”

“I mean, so do I,” a fourth voice, this one….Soren? Spoke up, “But like, on pavement or something, not just through fields.”

Villads shook his head a bit, coming back to himself. “Soren. You ARE a senior. And you’re not in this class.”

Soren shifted, “Coach said we can’t skip or we’ll be suspended from the team. Except no one was in my English class, so I came to hang out here.”

Villads sighed. “Well. What do you want to do? I don’t exactly have a lesson plan.”

He heard the shuffling. “I have the bloopers from our presentation we did,” Claudia said. 

Villads sighed, offering a space at his computer, “put it on.”

Villads took his rolling chair and let himself get as comfortable as he could on outdated school property. He picked up his book and started reading, but was continually distracted by the outtakes the kids were watching. 

The project had been to diagnose a fictional character to try and get a better sense of various conditions and provide proper evidence for it. 

Claudia, Rayla, and Callum had decided to film their project, having Callum play the role of Anakin Skywalker and Rayla a fictional therapist. Claudia had apparently done the editing, while Soren helped out on ‘set,’ even though he wasn’t in the class. 

Villads had been happy with it, even if he couldn’t see the video. It was primarily dialogue based anyway, and there had been descriptions at the beginning. 

“Mr. Skywalker, I think you have some serious post traumatic stress and clinical depression,” The tinny voice of Rayla said on the screen.

“NOOOOOO,” Callum screamed, or tried to anyway. There was a sharp laugh from the tinny voice of Claudia that made Callum break “Claudia, you gotta stop, I can’t do this!” Despite his words, Callum didn’t sound angry in the slightest. 

“Sorry, Sorry,” Recorded Claudia said, “Take it from your line, I’ll edit this out.”

There was several moments of shuffling and quiet before Callum once again shouted, “NO!” cutting himself off immediately as Claudia snorted and Rayla joined in, “please! The slightest noise is going to make me break.”

“One more time! I promise I won’t laugh!” Claudia said.

Callum took a deep breath, and then….there was a burp. “SOREN!” all three of the others shouted.

The kids who were in the classroom watching the tape were bursting out with laughter, talking about the fun they had with the project. 

Villads smiled. Maybe next year, he should have filming the project be part of the prompt.


	29. Up To Interpretation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amaya is struggling with work and the loss of her sister, but she manages to make a new friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had my partner who's hard of hearing read this for me to try and check out the culture. I actually learned stuff just writing this.

Amaya did not have patience for anything today.

She was fighting with her office that was admittedly stretched pretty thin budget wise. But she needed an interpreter, an official, licensed, interpreter, not some kid who took ASL courses in college and could fetch coffee for the office and do administrative tasks as well. 

But the thing was, she NEEDED an interpreter. She did well enough communicating by e-mail, but she couldn’t always depend on that. An interpreter was its own job, though, and the board was having a hard time justifying hiring an employee whose job it was to just help one other employee.

If they didn’t have all the money that funded her program, she’d scream at them. She was tempted to do that anyway. Then again, if she wasn’t deaf she wouldn’t be running into this problem. Instead, she sent a carefully worded email reminding them they were a DISABILITY OUTREACH PROGRAM and maybe they should be better with their own ableism!

Amaya wouldn’t have these problems if Sarai was still--

Amaya took a breath, focusing herself. It had been several years now, soon enough for the pain of the sister-shaped hole in her heart to be fresh, but for the sympathy surrounding her to have waned. She was glad she spent time with her brother-in-law and her nephews, but….but they weren’t Sarai. 

Harrow had a halted capability of ASL, something he’d been trying to learn since he started dating Sarai, but she still had to repeat herself over and over. There was no shame, it was hard learning a whole language. Still, Amaya missed the quick banter she and Sarai had. 

Callum was fluent, and had started teaching Ezran….but they were children. Amaya loved them like they were her own, but it was hard to have a full conversation with children. 

Amaya had been born deaf and never heard a sound in her life. She didn’t miss it, not for a second. She LIKED being deaf, and was proud of it. But since her sister was gone, the world had seemed so….quiet.

Nothing was going to fix the grieving in her heart right now, but she thought she’d make the attempt to be just a little less alone and get to really TALK to people by going to a local deaf chat that was going on in a coffee shop. 

Boy oh boy had that been a bad idea. 

There were a good dozen, maybe less, people there. About two of those, including herself, were deaf. The other guy was the one who ran the meetings, and Amaya liked him fine. But he was busy helping out the other people around, who all seemed to be ASL students. 

A lot of the local colleges required ASL students to go to deaf chats like this, to have real conversations. Amaya didn’t mind much. She liked helping people out and learn how to sign. It wasn’t what she wanted, but she’d help. The problem was, when they didn’t know a sign, instead of spelling out the word or trying a different sign to get their point across, they’d ask their friend verbally. This usually devolved into the friends trying to talk out the sign instead of just asking Amaya IN sign language, considering she was RIGHT THERE. 

Amaya was pretty good with reading lips. She had been determined to learn, having Sarai say things over and over to her, studying her mouth shape and figuring out what she was saying. But still, it was impossible to be perfect. People though she just COULD because she was deaf, but that actually put her at more of a disadvantage. 

She was just finishing up her tea and preparing to leave the meeting early (she’d send an apology email for ditching him later) when a newcomer arrived. “Sorry I’m late,” he signed perfectly. “Is there a seat?”

Mildly curious, Amaya opened up the seat beside her. “You’re deaf?”

“No,” he signed back, “Hearing.”

“Student?” She asked. 

He signed no, then yes, then shook his head as a ‘kind of.’ “Im an interpreting student,” he signed, “I’m CODA.”

Amaya smiled. She’d met several Children Of Deaf Adults, usually pretty nice as they were raised in the culture. “My name’s Amaya,” She fingerspelled, then showed her name sign. “Your name?”

“Gren,” he spelled, “Nice to meet you.”

Amaya put her finished tea to the side, and ignored all the students, most of which had given up on signing and were just talking like normal. She was going to have a full conversation, and no one was going to stop her.


	30. Beach Trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the beach episode of the fic!

“No!” Rayla said, “nononono, 1000 times no, Absolutely not, no.” 

“You’re not even going to bring a bathing suit?” Callum said, “It’s a BEACH trip.”

“I will be perfectly fine sitting on the nice, dry sand, thank you,” Rayla said, “I have an umbrella, a towel and a book. I see no reason for me to dress to be in the water, as that is 100% not going to happen.”

Ezran and Callum exchanged a look and shrugged. 

It was the annual Katolis-Dark beach trip, at the lakehouse the two families had under a timeshare. They had gotten it when Harrow and Sarai had first moved in next door. Now they just shared it between them. 

This year, with a lot of begging (both of their parents and Rayla), the kids convinced their Dads to bring Rayla along, as she was essentially adopted into their family. 

They had invited Runaan as well. Everyone kinda put their foot down on that, though. 

“So you’re just going to sit and read the whole time?” Ezran said, “But isn’t going swimming like, the whole point?”

“You can do other things on the beach.” Claudia spoke up, “I’m going to be looking for fish skeletons!” 

Claudia never really hid her creepier habits or tendencies, but they were always somehow a surprise. 

“Alright!” Harrow said, pulling his minivan up to the parking lot, “We’re here!” 

Soren was near the front and purst the doors open, preparing to take off like a shot, “Woohoo! Beach time!” 

“Wait!” Viren called, stopping him in his place. “Sunscreen, everyone.”

Soren slumped, waiting as Claudia came up with the bottle to help. 

Ezran was finally released from the vehicle, and nearly took off like Soren, but Viren grabbed him by the back of the shirt, “Uh-uh. You too, young man.”

Ezran whined, “But I’m black, it’s fine!” 

“That’s a myth,” Viren said, “It’s still better to take care of your skin. You too, Harrow.”

Harrow froze, dragging the beach equipment out of the trunk. “But I--” Viren stared him down, then glanced down to Ezran to silently say ‘set a goddamn example for your son.’ Harrow groaned, and took the sunscreen Claudia offered. 

True to her word, Rayla set up her towel, umbrella and book and set down. Ezran and Soren were already in the ocean, Soren throwing him into the deep as he laughed, and then he’d swim back, shouting “DO IT AGAIN!”

Viren enjoyed the excuse Rayla had provided, setting up next to her to read while everyone else was doing other things. He at least wore a swimsuit, as though he was GOING to go in, but he had no more intentions than Rayla. 

Claudia at least got her feet wet, scouring the tide for objects that had been dregged up by the water. She was less interested in pretty shells as she was weird fossils or dead animals she could later dissect. Her recent interest in biology was vaguely concerning, but Viren had decided to encourage any academic interests his kids had, after having fought with Soren for 12 years to have any academic interest at all. 

Harrow and Callum took a slower approach. The water was still cold from winter months, and so they took a few steps at a time, allowed themselves to adjust, and then continued in. “You know, it’s less painful if you just dive in headfirst,” Soren told them.

“Your lips are literally blue already,” Callum chided him. Soren shrugged as Ezran swam up to him. He lifted him out of the water and tossed him into the deep.

By the time the tide came in, Claudia had joined them in the water, and Harrow and Callum had been fully submerged. Soren started a game of toss with a beach ball. Ezran had started surfing on some of the little waves, tumbling into the tide and letting them take them where they wanted. 

So engrossed in their reading, though, Viren and Rayla had missed the encroaching tide that was coming up to their toes. A boat passed in the distance, stirring up a wave big enough for Harrow to pick Ezran up so he didn’t drown….but forgot to warn their friends on land. 

Viren and Rayla looked up just in time to see the wave come up over them, which splashed over their heads. Rayla barely managed a squeak before it hit her.

Rayla sat shaking as the wave retreated, eye twitching, still holding her drenched book. Callum winced. “Well, I did warn her to wear a swimsuit.”


	31. Concussion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viren and Claudia head to the hospital after hearing Soren got a concussion at an away game.

Claudia was vibrating all throughout the car trip from head to toe, both feet tapping interchangeably, hands tapping on her knees, and subtly rocking back and forth, getting the entire car seat to shake.

It was really not helping Viren’s state of mind. Typically he might snap at her and tell her to keep still, but he knew exactly how anxious she was, because he was just as anxious. He was the parent, though. He had to keep calm. 

He did not want to keep calm. 

Honestly there was a whole section of his brain that was screaming about how he’d been right, to try and dissuade Soren from going into football. He wasn’t a doctor, but he was a smart man, and he knew all the terrible things that football injuries would affect later in life. But against his better judgement, he decided he’d rather support his son with something he didn’t really approve of, rather than have the schism between them. 

He wished he’d chosen the other option. He wished he could have done whatever he could to prevent this. But most of all he wished he’d been there. 

It was an away game, so Claudia and the band hadn’t needed to go, and Viren was working late. He came to the big games, when he could, but there were a LOT of games, and he couldn’t permanently give away his friday nights, especially for this little skirmish. He had gone cold when he got the call from Soren’s coach, only stopping to grab Claudia before hauling ass to the hospital. 

Once he parked at the emergency room, Claudia went flying out the car. Viren let her go, only because he knew catching her would be futile as he locked the car and took out his phone. He sent off a text to Harrow, partially because he didn’t want his friend to find out through their children, partially because he really needed another adult in his head right now to keep him calm. 

By the time he reached the front desk, Claudia was already talking with the front desk. “They said it was a concussion,” She told her father, “Pretty mild, but he’ll need to rest for a week, maybe more.”

Viren took a deep breath. Soren was not going to like that. He had never stayed still since he’d learned to crawl. “Can we see him?” Viren asked the nurse. 

“Not at the moment,” she said, “He’s resting.”

“Resting?!” Claudia said, “What if he falls into a coma?!”

“That’s a myth,” The nurse said, “Well, partially. But he’s not bad enough that’s a risk. Resting is good for him right now, it’ll speed up the healing process.” She gave them a sympathetic smile that Viren wished he found comforting, “Why don’t we handle some paperwork, and you guys can wait here? I’ll be sure to have someone come tell you when he wakes up.”

Claudia made a little whining noise, wanting to be taken to her brother NOW, but Viren put a hand on her shoulder, “Here,” he said, handing her some cash, “Why don’t you go get something from the gift shop?”

Claudia nodded hesitantly and Viren turned to handle stupid health insurance. Thank goodness he was a lawyer, he knew a little something about these processes. This was something he was good with. He could focus on it. 

The nurse smiled as she filed away his information. “I know this is scary,” she said, “But I promise, your son will be fine.”

Viren nodded, “I’m not much a fan of hospitals, is all,” he said, as though he needed a reason to be on edge right now.

She frowned just slightly for a moment, analyzing him. “A lot of people don’t,” she said in her infuriatingly calm voice, “Something happen?”

Viren’s mouth went dry. He checked his phone, but Harrow hadn’t texted back yet. “Car accident,” he said, like it was an every day thing. “I was pretty bad for a while. My friend...didn’t make it.”

The nurse hummed in understanding. “Take a seat, Mr. Dark,” she said, “That’s not going to happen today.”

He nodded. Obviously, he knew that. But it was still nice to hear. 

By the time he collapsed in one of the uncomfiest chairs in existence, he heard a blip on his phone. He actually managed a smile at Harrow’s ‘OMG! :’( Do you need me to come over there?’

Viren almost said yes, because he would really like his friend here right now, but instead just asked if Harrow could handle some of his ongoing cases, which of course Harrow agreed to. 

Viren took a deep breath, watching Claudia comparison shop between the various itchy teddy bears in the gift shop. It was ok. Everything would be ok.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If Viren can't be a great dad in canon, then I will make him so in my stories, dammit!


	32. Happy Birthday Amaya

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Amaya's birthday, and her sister Sarai has prepared a gift for her.

Amaya was lounging on the couch when she saw the light for their door flash. Sarai sometimes did that just to tell her she was home, and so she waited. “Hey,” Sarai signed as she walked in, Callum strapped to her front, “You ready to go?”

“Go where?” Amaya asked. 

“We were going to go celebrate!” Sarai signed, “Kinda a special day, you know.” 

Amaya blinked. Sarai stared at her for a few minutes, “Birthday?” she reminded her. “Yours? Happy Birthday?” 

Amaya nodded, understanding washing over her. “I just thought, with the baby and all, we were going to skip that this year.” They had skipped the last two when things were hectic with little Callum. She didn’t mind, she loved Callum and didn’t care much about birthdays. 

On cue, Callum seemed to be waking up. “He’s a little older now,” Sarai said, “And I’ve got a babysitter coming to take care of him.” 

“You mean your new BOYFRIEND?” She signed, and then signed exaggerated kissy faces.

Sarai rolled her eyes. “Just put on something decent to celebrate your one damn day of the year.” 

Callum whined and grabbed his mother’s arm. He wasn’t good at speaking yet, but he was able to sign a few basics, including ‘food.’ Sarai sighed and prepared the mush for him. 

Amaya waited for a few more minutes, before deciding Sarai was serious. She sighed, allowing herself to groan, and then went for her room. Sarai stomped on the floor to get her attention for a second. “Wear something loose-fitting.”

Amay frowned at that, “Where are we going?” 

Sarai smiled, “It’s a surprise.”

Amaya glared at her suspiciously before going to her closet. 

Luckily, she had plenty of loose fitting clothing, as she much preferred sweats to jeans, and preferred jeans to dresses. She found a good set of sweat pants and a decent black t-shirt. She wasn’t sure where they were going and so figured better to be as neutral as possible. She put her hair up in a messy bun, she was seriously considering just chopping it off. 

When she came back out, Harrow had arrived and was cooing at Callum, lifting him into the air to make him giggle. If Amaya didn’t know already that he and Sarai had just started dating a couple months ago, she’d have said they were an ideal little family.

Harrow looked over at her, smiling, and then caught in the predicament of not having either of his hands free. He was just learning ASL, so he struggled a lot with the ease of the language. Mercifully, Sarai took Callum back, so he could haltingly sign, “Hello, Happy, Birth, day.” 

She smirked, “Thanks,” She signed back. She liked Harrow, even if he was a little awkward around her, the effort was helpful. “Are we ready to go now?” She asked Sarai. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Sarai signed back. She cooed at her baby some more, kissing his cheeks to make him giggle, and finally allowed Harrow to take him back. 

Harrow lifted his arm to have him wave at them. “Bye Mommy,” Amaya lipread him say. Sarai clutched her heart, and it was sickeningly sweet. Rolling her eyes, Amaya grabbed her arm and pulled her through the door.

Sarai smiled like an idiot all the way down to the car as she drove Amaya to wherever they were going. Amaya might like to tease her, (she was a younger sister, it was in her contract) but she was honestly happy to see Sarai so happy. She had been like this a few years ago, when she’d been secretly dating Callum’s father, before that fell apart. Amaya had been hurt that Sarai hadn’t told her about him until he was gone, but understood it was under his wishes. And of course Sarai doted on Callum, but it had been hard caring for a new baby. Amaya helped where she could, but...didn’t make it not hard. 

She was so lost in thought, she didn’t pay attention where they had pulled up. “What is this?” 

Sarai beamed, taking her hand and leading her inside. It looked like a martial arts studio. Sarai talked with a guy, presumably the owner, and got out a few bo staffs. Both of them had learned to use them as kids, but had fallen out of the habit growing up. 

Sarai tossed one of the staffs to Amaya. “Happy Birthday,” she signed, “I’m going to kick your ass.”


	33. Takaan the tinkerer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takaan has surprised Runaan with a visit to America, but he has many more surprises in store.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> VERY Runaan/Tinkerer. So. Yeah. 
> 
> Sorry no chapter yesterday, I actually was on a roll with another project and didnt want to stop.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” Runaan said, getting him and Takaan some cups of decaf, just like he preferred, “Who’s minding the shop?”

“My brother,” Takaan said, gladly accepting. It was far too sweet for Runaan’s taste, but Takaan just guzzled it down like it wasn’t even hot, “He’s been getting better at these things.”

Runaan smiled. His job in the Xadian embassy necessitated him going back and forth between Xadia and Washington D.C. a lot. He had been reluctant at first to even enter into a relationship with Takaan when it would be long distance 3/4s of the year, but Takaan had been insistent. 

Still, it was hard. He tried to make trips to Xadia when he could, and Takaan had made a few trips to America (not as many, because he couldn’t really afford it on his shop’s salary). This trip had been a surprise, arranged by Takaan and Rayla. 

Runaan had never been one to show his emotions readily, but he felt like he was smiling like an idiot. “How long are you going to be staying?” He asked, and he almost wished he hadn’t. Asking how long was putting a timer on it, that would start ticking the minute Takaan answered.

Takaan smiled a little, maybe reading Runaan’s regret, maybe not. “A week and a half,” he said, “But don’t worry about keeping me entertained. I actually have some business in the area I’m going to need to take care of.”

Runaan raised an eyebrow, “Oh?” 

Takaan’s smile got a little brighter. “I’m meeting with some banks and building spaces while I’m here,” he said, “See, the shop’s doing well, maybe not as much locally, but with shipping. Apparently some….influencer or whatever sent us her grandmother’s watch we were able to fix, and she made a post about it. Now we’re getting all kinds of international orders, people sending us stuff for us to ship and return, so….” He took a sigh, “The family and I were thinking of expanding our shop. Maybe opening a second branch.” 

Runaan stared him down, blinking fast as he thought through what that meant, “Wait,” he said, “Here?”

Takaan shrugged, “It’d be useful to have a place in America, that way we don’t have to go through international shipping or customs or anything. Could cut costs down for orders in the states.”

“Yes, but...here? Are you sure you want to…” he trailed off, thinking as words failed him. 

Takaan reached over and grabbed his hand, “Well we’d have to talk about things, of course,” he said, “But after all your complaining about being long distance, are you really going to complain because I’ll be closer?”

“I--no, of course not!” Runaan said, “But...If you move here for me…” He was surprisingly bad at words for a diplomat, “What happens if you move here for me, and things don’t work out? And then you’re….stranded in America with no one you know!”

Takaan smirked, “I just told you, I’d be moving to cut down shipping costs.”

“Takaan,” Runaan complained.

“Runaan,” Takaan mimicked his voice. “Look, there are going to be a lot of complications here, I won’t lie. But first off, unlike you, I make friends, and I intend to make friends other than you while I’m here,” He smirked, “Maybe you can introduce me to Harrow and Viren.”

“Nope,” Runaan said, shaking his head, “No, this conversation is already too weird, let’s please not bring them into it.”

Takaan chuckled, “Besides, I’m willing to put down an investment that things WILL work out, hmm?”

Runaan frowned at him, “What are you--” 

Before he could finish his thought, Takaan was pulling out a ring. 

Runaan’s whole brain stopped. He looked at it, absorbing it. It was a simple gold band that came up to two separate ends, on the end of one an embellished sun, on the other a moonstone. “I made it myself,” Takaan said, holding it up, “And look,” He touched the edges of the sun’s rays and spun it, obviously turning some tiny gears that brought up a cover over the moonstone, mimicking the moon’s phases. “Do you like it?”

Runaan was not a man of words, really. Runaan was a man of action.

So maybe it shouldn’t have been surprising when he tackled Takaan out of his chair and onto the kitchen floor, grabbing his face so he could properly kiss it. 

Takaan laughed as Runaan pulled away, “Is that a yes?”

“You mean it?” Runaan asked, “You want to--”

“Marry you?” Takaan said, brushing Runaan’s hair behind his ear, tracing a scar on his cheek, “Of course.”

Runaan kissed him in answer again, until a thudding came from upstairs, “Hey, keep it down, down there!” Rayla called to them, “Some of us are trying to sleep!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm in a shmultzy mood


	34. Happy Birthday Lujanne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lujanne doesn't much like celebrating her birthday, but her students find a way around that

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I uploaded this chapter to the wrong dang fic at first, sorry if you get notifications for that one

A day was pretty full, in the life of a high school Principal. It didn’t start out full, usually, but quickly filled up with meetings and discipline and paperwork and angry parents and any other thing that could possibly happen, all seemingly at once. 

So Lujanne didn’t think much of this day as any different than any other day. 

She prided herself on being ‘the cool principal,’ though mostly in that ironic ‘trying to be cool until it becomes funny’ kind of way. She cameoed in students videos, she tried to go to as many school events as her schedule would allow, and she tried to keep up, matching names and faces to everyone at Caldera High. 

By the end of the day she was usually too exhausted to have any kind of real social life, but she was happy that way. She had a cute pet bird, named Phoe-Phoe, like the school’s mascot, a blue phoenix. That was enough social for her. 

Phoe Phoe was all the social interaction she needed, coming in with the little bird on her shoulder. “Happy Birthday, Phoe-Phoe,” Lujanne said, petting the little bird on the head. The bird chirruped. She had been a birthday present to Lujanne some years ago, and so they shared the date. She didn’t usually like celebrating her birthday, but this was nice. 

After getting paperwork out of the way, she heard the students filtering into the school. She stretched, heading out into the hallway. “Hello, Callum,” She said, nodding, “Hello Rayla.”

“Good morning, Ms. Lujanne,” They said in sync, nodding at her and continuing along. 

She knew one of her favorite (though she wouldn’t admit it) students was coming up based on the gasps of the students around her. Finally, through the crowd, Little Ellis came up with her medical alert dog, Ava.

Technically, Ellis wasn’t one of Lujanne’s students, but she WOULD be in a few short years. For now, she was in a special program where she came to the high school once a week or so for tutoring. Lujanne wasn’t directly involved with the tutoring program, but she dropped in every once in a while, and she and Ellis quickly formed a connection. “Morning, Ms. Lujanne!” she said, beaming, “How’s Phoe-Phoe?” 

“Doing very well, thank you Ellis,” Lujanne said, “I gave her seed-ball this morning. Made it myself.”

Ellis’ smile froze for a moment. “And….she liked that?” 

Lujanne scowled just a bit, but she wasn’t seriously upset. As much as she was known for her good deeds, she seemed simultaneously known for her terrible cooking, “She liked it fine, thank you.” She sighed, “Shouldn’t you be off to your tutoring?”

“I’m on my way,” Ellis said, “I just wanted to give you this,” and she took out a plastic case with a single cupcake inside, the frosting a little smudged on the container. “Happy Birthday!”

Lujanne smiled again, “How did you know it was my birthday?” she said, taking the cupcake. It was chocolate, store made, which she wasn’t overly fond of, but she could pretend for worse in front of a student. 

“Everyone knows,” Ellis said. “I have to get going, I’ll talk to you later!” 

“Bye!” Lujanne called after her, confused. EVERYONE knew? But how? 

She went back into her office as the bell rang, 1st period classes settling in. She turned on her tv to the setting for the morning announcements. “Goooooood Morning Caldera High!” Claudia Dark said, large cup of coffee at her side, “We’d like to start out with a very announcement for our own Principal Lujanne! Our own investigative reporter has done some digging and discovered today is a pretty special day. So, if you would, please step outside your office.”

The camera switched to a live feed of what she recognized instantly as her outer office. Confused, she stepped out, to see a whole line of students standing outside the windows of the main office, holding up a big sign that read “HAPPY BIRTHDAY PHOE-PHOE!”

Lujanne laughed, and clutched her head, noting the video camera pointed at her and recording her reactions, no doubt for the viewing of the whole school. In front of it, Marcos was standing with a microphone, coming up to her to put a hand around her shoulders. “Thank you Claudia, it is true, that today is the birthday of our dear school mascot, Phoenix-Phoenix. Just as a side note, it is also Principal Lujanne’s birthday, but she doesn’t like to celebrate so this surprise IS just for Phoe-Phoe. Now, Principal Lujanne, we’ve prepared this cake,” her secretary came up, holding a cake out with lit candles all around. 

“However, we have made an error,” Marcos continued, “in that our production team has bought a HUMAN cake instead of a bird cake, and also lit candles, which Phoe-Phoe’s little bird lungs cannot blow out. As Phoe-Phoe’s caretaker, would you do the honors of accepting this cake and blowing out the candles and making a wish.”

Lujanne couldn’t help but chuckle, looking at the cake, “Sure, I suppose.” She blew out the candles to the applause of her gathered students. They then proceeded to sing happy birthday, making sure to make it out to Phoe-Phoe and not her.

Lujanne sighed. She did love her students. Even if they were tricky little buggers.


	35. Babysitters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heading out to work, Harrow and Viren leave Soren and Claudia in charge of Callum and Ezran. What could go wrong?

“Ok, so, phone numbers are on the fridge,” Harrow said, “And they might want to go out and stuff, which is fine, just don’t take them out on the metro or anything. Only stuff within walking distance. And make sure you’re inside before 5, it’s not safe too much later than that, plus Ezran has a TV show he’ll want to watch and--”

“Uncle Harrow,” Claudia said, “We get it. We’ll take care of ‘em.” 

Harrow took a deep breath, looking at the two kids he was babysitting not that long ago. “Alright, alright.” He turned to his own children, “You two be good for Soren and Claudia?”

Ezran nodded, clutching his stuffed toy from his favorite cartoon close to his chest. Callum grumped, “I don’t need a babysitter anymore,” he said, “I can just stay home myself.”

Harrow sighed. As a single father with a high stress job, babysitters were a common staple of his kids’ life. But now that Soren turned 13, he and Claudia had apparently convinced Viren to convince Harrow to let the kids stay with them. “You probably could,” he said, “But Ezran can’t yet, ok? And in a few years, you’ll be the one looking out for him.”

Callum sighed dramatically, the pre-teen syndrome coming in early. Harrow just smiled and patted him on the shoulder in thanks for not protesting. 

“Are we ready to go?” Viren asked, as he had been ready to leave for the past 10 minutes. Claudia and Soren had lived next door for most of their lives, they didn’t need a grand tour of the place. 

Harrow gave one last look, making sure he didn’t forget anything. “Alright. See you tonight, kids. Bye-bye!” 

“Bye!” Callum and Ezran mirrored. 

The adults left, and Claudia and Soren exchanged smiles. “Let’s have fun!”

They ended up deciding to go to the park, because that was an easy thing to do in summer. 

They got a LITTLE sidetracked, trying to get the kids to put on sunscreen, and making sure they had hats and sunglasses and the like, and everything they needed. Soren carried most of their stuff, including emergency phone, money, keys, some snacks, all in his giant cargo shorts that made Claudia kinda gag. 

But then they were off! The park was pretty close by, next to the library, and they’d all been there tons of times. Ezran squeaked as they arrived, running towards the jungle gym. “Careful, Ez,” Claudia called after him, but he paid her no mind. 

Callum stuck by the older kids walking up. “Let’s play some games, Callum!” Soren said, “We could play woodchips! I’ll be it first.” He thought that was very reasonable as he was the oldest, to take on this burden of being It. 

Callum shrugged slightly, “I kinda just want to draw,” he said, clutching his journal he’d brought with him. 

Soren groaned, “You can draw anytime! It’s summer break! School starts in a few weeks! It’s our time to spend in the sun!”

Callum just shrugged again, curling around his journal. “You can draw for now, Callum,” Claudia said, “And join us later if you want?”

Callum nodded and immediately made his way over to the picnic tables to start sketching. Soren and Claudia played woodchips with Ezran for a bit, but at 5 years old, he wasn’t particularly good at it. 

Soren looked up at the sound of crying. There was a teenager that was hanging over Callum at his picnic table, and Callum was sniffling. Without a second thought, Soren ran over, punching the teen in the nose. 

“SOREN!” Claudia yelled coming over as the boys fell back into the dirt, making Callum cry all the more. “Callum, what happened?” 

“He ripped up my drawing,” Callum said, and tried to keep away from the fight. Soren was big for his age, but he was still barely 13, and this kid was definitely older than that. 

Claudia tried to break it up, but one of the other parents was the one to step in, getting the teen to lay off Soren who was already sporting a couple bruises, and what would definitely turn into a black eye. “Come on,” Claudia said, “Let’s go home and get some dessert.”

As Claudia tended to Soren’s wounds with some ice, Callum and Ezran enjoyed some brownies they gave them. “Uh, Claudia? Soren?” Callum said, not fully recovered from the bullying, “Ezran ate them all.

The older kids looked at them. Ezran was COVERED in brownie smudges, all over his face and somehow in his hair. “How?!” Claudia asked.

Soren just groaned and put his head down on the counter, “I’m never having kids.”


	36. Mistakes and Airplanes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rayla's running late for her flight back home to Xadia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is for me, because I had a nice big gulp of that anxie-tea this morning. Also I've been late to planes a whole bunch, so.

The moments when Rayla was waiting just past the bodyscanners at the airport were the worst. She had no phone, no shoes, nothing in her pockets to fidget with, and could only wait and stare along with the other passengers for her belongings. 

Stupid TSA, stupid American Security, stupid GODDAMN BUS THIS MORNING. 

Except it wasn’t the buses fault. She had missed the bus to the airport she had intended to catch, the one that would have gotten her here in plenty of time. And she’d missed the one that had come after that, the one that would have been here with a good little window to spare so she could get through security and maybe have some time to buy snacks while the plane was loading the fancy first class people. 

But she hadn’t. She’d gotten on the bus that was set to arrive at the same time her plane was going to start boarding. And it had been all her fault. 

She’d gotten packed the night before, she had her things set out for the morning when she arrived, and even woken up early in preparation for her flight. It was a long trip back to Xadia. But even then, early in the morning, she had some time to kill, so she turned on some videos. Why not? It was just to wait this whole thing out. 

Except she’d lost track of time. She’d missed her bus completely, and ran to the next one, only to just barely miss that one too. 

Riding on the bus had been hell, just sitting there, not able to DO anything to speed the bus along. In panic, she’d called Runaan. 

Runaan was not known for his comforting presence. These few months living with him had been generally amicable, but he wasn’t her dad. Sometimes they clashed and got into little screaming matches, but they always came back to being friendly. 

“Is there anything you can do?” Runaan asked her, as she babbled what was happening. 

“No, that’s the thing!” She said, leg bouncing with nerves, “I can’t...anything I would do would just make things WORSE, and--”

“Is there anything I can do?” Runaan cut her off, a little harshly if Rayla had to judge it. 

Rayla swallowed and thought. By the time Runaan left work to come pick her up, the plane would probably be long gone. And that was if she could just jump from the bus to his car on a heavy traffic highway. “I don’t think….I don’t know.”

“Then there’s nothing to worry about,” Runaan said.

Rayla swallowed, “But if I miss it--”

“You can’t control that right now,” Runaan said bluntly. “When you get to the airport, you’ll go through security and make it to your gate like you would any other time. If you’ve missed it, there will be someone working there to talk to then, and they’ll probably get you on another flight. It’s not the end of the world.”

Rayla was still shaking. “I just...I want to do something….it’s all my fault.”

“You made a mistake,” Runaan said, “That happens. When you make a mistake you can try to do anything you can to make it right, but sometimes there’s nothing to do. Then you just have to live with it and carry on.” There were sounds like Runaan was readjusting his phone. “When there’s something you can do, there’s no need to worry, because you can work to change what you’re worried about. When there’s nothing you can do, there’s no need to worry, because it’s out of your hands. Worrying will only make it worse.”

Rayla brought her legs up on her bus seat, clutching her legs to her, “That doesn’t exactly help. I can’t just. MAKE myself not worry.”

“You can,” Runaan said, “That’s something you can work on while you wait for the bus to get there. Start with breathing.”

“I am breathing,” she protested.

“Slower,” he instructed, “in and out, come on,” he said like a drill instructor, which was not exactly calming, but did work. 

He talked her through breathing exercises and grounding exercises for the rest of the bus trip. When they arrived, she hitched her breath again. “What are you going to do?” Runaan asked. 

“I’m going to get through security,” Rayla said, “I’m going to make it to my gate. If I’ve missed the plane, I’ll talk to them about putting me on a later flight.”

“That’s right,” Runaan said, “Good luck.”

The phone had been a nice anchor for her anxiety as she made it through the line, but now she was left alone, watching her belongings coming down the little tread. Tub with her messenger bag...tub with her shoes and laptop...and suitcase! She didn’t get stopped. 

She hadn’t fully put her shoes on as she grabbed her bags and ran. Thank goodness she was on the track team so she was fast and agile, weaving through other passengers, because of course her gate was at the other end of the terminal. 

She made it, and there was no line, no crowd around it, but the door was still open! “Are you Rayla Moonshadow?” the attendant asked as she approached.

“Yes!” she cried out, “I’m sorry I’m late, I just--”

“Go on,” she nodded, not even checking her ticket as Rayla made it down the gangplank. 

Rayla put her bag up in the overhead compartment and collapsed in her seat. She may have been the last one on the airplane, but she’d made it. She smiled, sent a text off to Runaan, and turned it to airplane mode, getting her screen ready to watch more cartoons on the flight out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Runaan couldn't take her because he was at work. 
> 
> Also, I want to include Aaravos in this story, any recommendations? Like. I thought about maybe a teacher, but IDK what he'd teach? Or maybe he'd be involved with Viren and Harrow's law firm somehow? Would be welcome to have Elarion in here too, though would probably be like as a daughter/assistant/mentee figure because that's my headcanon for her until she's shown.


	37. Aaravos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viren confronts the school counselor when he finds out his son's post-high school plans, and meets someone he could never have expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all your advice on Aaravos! I really like what I ended up going with, I hope you do too.

Viren stormed through the school hallways and made it to the room labeled ‘Guidance Counselor.’ He did not bother with knocking, only slammed into the room. 

In the room there was a man, sitting by his computer and surrounded by books. He had long white hair, but he looked fairly young. He looked up, but didn’t seem startled by the sudden intrusion. “Can I help you?”

“Are you Aaravos Sterling?” He demanded. 

The man smiled, “Yes. Who might you be?”

Viren ignored the question, slamming down a paper in front of him. “What is this?” 

Aaravos looked it over, “It seems to be an army recruitment form for one Soren Dark. Are you Soren’s father?” 

“My son,” Viren said, “Is going to college. I have money set aside for him, hell, I could probably get JOBS lined up for him if he wanted it, he is not about to be shipped overseas for some politicians war!”

Aaravos did not seem startled by Viren’s tirade. Instead he steepled his fingers and stared him down. Viren was strong enough to keep his composure, but something about this man creeped him out. “Have you ever served, Mr. Dark?” 

Viren’s brows pinched in confusion, “No,” he said, “But I don’t see how that’s--”

“The United States Army has a reputation, but it can provide things like learning experience, a sense of pride--”

“I could show you plenty of articles detailing people who’ve been promised that same thing,” Viren said, “And have been thoroughly betrayed.”

Aaravos smirked. “You’re a cynic,” he said, “That’s good. Many people are too trusting, but I don’t think you’ll have to worry about Soren. You say you have money set aside for him, do you think that, in a few years when he has decided to come home and pursue a career, that money will disappear?”

Viren clenched his teeth. The obvious answer was ‘no,’ he was a frugal man who knew how to save and deal with money, and even then, the money was set aside in a savings account. It would only accrue more interest with time. “Anything could happen,” he said instead.

Aaravos’ smirk grew, clearly seeing through the lie. “I try to guide people to their greatest potential, Mr. Dark,” he said, “Whether it is the military, or college, or maybe a fast track through law school bought by their rich parents.”

Viren clenched his teeth, reminded of his own youth. “How did you know…”

“I didn’t know you’re face, Viren,” Aaravos said, “But I do keep record of highly influential students….and their parents.” He pulled out a binder from his drawer, “Your daughter Claudia is very skilled in the sciences, she’s set to probably finish college in 3 years if she wants, with all the AP credits she’s been building, at any Ivy league university of her choice. While Soren may be able to attend a school and get full scholarship based on his football talents, is that really what you want for him? To become a college football, perhaps even a professional football player?”

Viren opened his mouth to answer, but the words didn’t come. “Thats. That’s a long way off, don’t you think?”

“I think long into the future, Mr. Dark,” he said, “that’s my job. Have you thought about your future?”

Viren’s frown deepened as he sat down, “What about my future?”

Aaravos guided his finger over the page. “A lawyer, top of his class, from a wealthy family. Made a name for himself on cases from property laws, to social justice, to criminal cases. With two children, one a prominent scientist in the making, leading the way into the future, the other a soldier protecting America’s freedoms. Do you know what that sounds like to me?”

Viren scoffed, “A piss-poor biography.”

“It sounds to me,” Aaravos said, smiling, “Like a candidate.”

Viren sat back, re-examining the man in front of him. “Who are you?”

“I’m Aaravos Sterling,” he said, “And I help people and their futures.” 

Something about that rung a bell in Viren’s mind, “Sterling….” he thought, “Not...not from Sterling Inc.? The web company?” Aaravos smiled as his answer, “What are you doing as a high school guidance counselor?”

“My business does not require my day-to-day supervision,” he said “I needed a worthwhile way to spend my time, and where better than guiding the minds of today’s youth?”

Viren was a lawyer, meaning he was fluent in bullshit. “You’re recruiting.” 

“Sometimes,” he said, “when I have an opportunity to help a bright student. But I’ve been thinking of expanding, perhaps in the way of political advice.”

Viren actually managed a sharp laugh, “What, for me?” he said, “Run for what, student council?”

“City council at least,” Aaravos said, “Somewhere you could affect real change. But with your resume, you could easily aim higher, perhaps mayor, or state senate. Hell, why not THE senate?”

Viren gaped at him, feeling like he’d stepped into a dream, not a good dream or a nightmare, just somewhere where the rules of the world were all different. “I don’t…” he started, “I have a law firm. A partner, I can’t just...just drop my work to run for office.”

Aaravos nodded slightly. He took out a business card with deft fingers and handed it over, “Think on it,” he said, “I’ll be here.”


	38. The Break Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viren has finally decided to run for office, but first he has to bring it up with Harrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was really in the groove on this chapter so its a little longer than normal.

Viren twirled the business card between his fingers, staring out into space. Occasionally he’d focus on the little caterpillar on the front, a caterpillar made of stars. It was a metaphor, Aaravos had told him, of cocooning and transforming into something new, greater. That’s what he was all about, the future. 

Harrow came into his office, breaking his trance, “You realize my office is like, 10 steps from here, right?” he said, “You don’t need to arrange an official meeting, if you wanted to talk about something, you could have just like, shouted.”

Viren couldn’t help his small smirk, “Opelli hates when you do that.”

“She’s not my mother, no matter how much she pretends,” Harrow said, pulling up a chair. “So. What’s this all about?”

Viren took a deep breath, “I’ve...got an opportunity I wanted to talk to you about,” he said, “I’ve been approached to, um, to run for office.” He watched Harrow as his face turned serious, eyebrows rising in surprise. “State Senate. Might have to get a place in Annapolis, but I can probably be around here most of the time. Enact some real change on the state level.”

Harrow stared at him blankly for several moments. Viren had been concerned about this very conversation for a month, considering, planning, weighing the pros and cons, but he came to realize he did actually want this. But it would mean leaving the firm, the one he’d built with Harrow from the ground up. 

“....That’s wonderful,” Harrow said after a long pause.

Viren smiled, “You really think so?”

“Absolutely!” Harrow said, “You won’t just be working with the law, you’ll be MAKING it! Part of the civic process! That’s incredible, I can’t believe I didn’t think about it before!”

Viren’s smile wavered even as the relief washed over him, “You realize what this means, of course. The firm--”

Harrow waved him off, “Look, we’ve done something great. And if you ever want to come back, you’re of course welcome. It’ll be an adjustment for a bit, figuring out a new system of doing things, but we’re lawyers, that’s what we’re good at.” He shifted forward in his chair, “This is amazing, Viren. I can’t think of a better candidate.”

“Not even you?” he said, raising an eyebrow.

Harrow sighed, “Ezran’s too young still for me to be balancing single fatherhood and a campaign. But who knows, you’ll have to step down eventually to run for Governor or whatever. Maybe I can take over for you.”

“One campaign at a time, please,” Viren said, smiling. 

“So, who approached you?” Harrow said, “One of the parties? Some political advice committee?”

Viren clacked his teeth, “Actually, it was the high school guidance counselor.”

Harrow scoffed, staring at him, “You’re kidding?”

“It’s not his main gig,” Viren said, “Aaravos Sterling, he has some--”

“The web developer guy?” Harrow said, smirk falling off his face, “You’re not serious.”

Viren frowned a little, feeling slightly attacked, though he couldn’t say why. “He said working at the school was like...his version of charity since it’s so underfunded. But he’s been looking to get into politics, so…”

“So he picked you.” Harrow said. It wasn’t a question. “Viren, you can’t start your campaign in the pocket of someone like Aaravos Sterling. He’s a growing corporation, one of those companies that’s designed to just….eat smaller ones. He wants a puppet he can put in office to give him loopholes for money!”

Viren felt his nerves coming back, “You just said that this was a great idea.”

“Yeah, when I thought you were running a campaign to help people,” Harrow said, “Not something to make buddies with a corporation.”

“I’m not some puppet,” Viren said, “I know what I’m doing. He’s helping me, of course he may expect something in return, but that’s not the same--”

“That is literally the definition of corrupt politics,” Harrow cut him off, “Viren, if you want to run, then run, but not like this. I’ll help you.”

“A successful campaign is going to take money,” he said, “I can’t exactly expect to run on donations for state senate, I need backers, and even between you and me combined I can’t do it.”

“Then don’t do it.” Harrow said, “Not if this is what it means. Wait until Claudia’s out of college, wait until you’ve saved up enough, hell buy Lotto tickets if that’s what you want! But don’t get your money like this.”

Viren stood up. “You don’t know anything about this,” he said, “I know what I’m doing. I’m not some idiot who turned up on the turnip truck, Hell, I’m the one who usually has to make the smart decisions around here!”

Harrow stood up as well, “And what’s THAT supposed to mean?!”

“It means you try and help every weeping mother with a sob story that comes in here pro bono, It means you’re so full of idealistic bullshit that I’M the one left holding the pieces! That I’m the one who has to keep this business afloat and deal with the money! Maybe that’s why you don’t want me to do this, because if I’m gone, who’s going to pick up YOUR mess!” 

“Having a heart doesn’t make me weak,” Harrow said, “And not having one doesn’t make you strong.”

Viren scoffed, “Thank you, Saturday Morning Cartoon hero, did you learn that line from Ezran? Is he giving you all your legal advice now?”

“I thought you’d actually learned something, all these years,” Harrow yelled back, “I thought maybe, just maybe, you’d changed from your goddamn legacy WASP family 1% history. I thought you actually wanted to help people and do some REAL justice!” 

“Well I guess I didn’t!” Viren yelled back, “I only ever tolerated it because I--” he choked on his word, “Because I cared about YOU,” he finished. “And if you wanted to spend your life helping people, then I’d make sure you could actually do it. I took care of all the dirty work so you wouldn’t have to, so you’d keep your precious hands clean!”

“What dirty work?” Harrow said, “Viren, what have you done?”

Viren scoffed, “You thought all those deals just came out of the blue? That the bad guys we faced just caved because of your sense of honor? That the judges fairly weighed the scales and decided to favor you because you were RIGHT? That’s not how our system works and you KNOW it!” 

Harrow took a step back from him, “What did you do?” he said, “You...what did you threaten people? Bribe them? How far does this go?!” 

Viren scowled at him, “I did what I had to. That’s always how this works, how WE work. If you didn’t know that, you’re more gullible than even I thought.” 

Harrow backed away again, almost to the door, “Get out,” he said, “Run for office or don’t, I don’t care. Just get out of my business.”

Viren grabbed his personal belongings and left. He didn’t look back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter actually also comes with a bonus chapter that you can read here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20451917 It's semi-canonical, in that I kinda consider it canon within this alternate universe, but if it's not your cuppa, I want you to be able to ignore it. 
> 
> I'm a little hesitant with some ships, especially between main characters. Runaan/tinker and Amaya/Janai I'm fine with because the Tinker and Janai are minor characters and i can do what I want with them. This isn't a judgement on any ships at all, just. I dunno. I'm rambling at this point. 
> 
> Anyway, the point is: The bonus fic is unrequited Viren/Harrow and some pretty toxic Viren/Aaravos. Aaravos is poison to Viren in this story no matter what, but. For the purposes of the bonus fic it's more....personal. So. Read it if you want. Don't if ya don't. it's just the dynamic that works in my head, not going to make it relevant to any more of these chapters, probably.


	39. Dog Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezran is trying to train his puppy, Zym, but Zym isn't having it. Ellis comes to help.

“Sit,” Ezran instructed. Zym wagged his tail at him, “Come on, boy! Sit!” Ezran held the treat up, but Zym refused. Instead the little puppy came over and licked at Ezran’s pants, getting slobber all over him. 

Ezran collapsed on the grass, laying down in defeat. Zym yipped and jumped on him, licking his face, “No! Buddy, stop that!” Ezran demanded, but couldn’t help giggling as the dog continued. “Buddy, we’re supposed to be training. You need to learn commands and stuff.” 

Zym did not seem to think it was important to be training or doing anything more than what he wanted to. It was fine for now, he was a small puppy and even Ezran could stop him from jumping up places he shouldn’t or knocking things over. But he would grow, and so Ezran had taken it upon himself to train the little guy to be a proper member of society. 

“Ez?” a voice pulled him from his defeated reverie and he looked up. Behind the fence was none other than Ellis, tilting her head to the side, “What are you doing here?”

Ezran sat up, “I live here,” he said, indicating his front yard.

Ellis snorted, “I guessed that,” she said, “Is that your puppy you were talking about?”

Zym, having registered Ellis as well, leapt over to the fence, yipping at Ellis’ service dog Ava. Ava backed away, surprised, pulling on her leash. “Hey, hey,” Ellis said, trying to reassure her, “It’s ok, he’s just excited and wants to make friends.”

Ezran jumped up to grab his little puppy and pull him away, “Sorry,” he said, “I’m trying to train him, but….it’s not going too well so far.”

Ellis smiled, “We brought Ava to a training school to help her be a medical alert dog, but I’ve learned some tricks. You want me to help?”

Zym yipped more, tail going absolutely wild at the sight of the new dog. “Uh, I mean,” he said, “I’d love that, but I don’t know….”

“It’s alright,” Ellis said, “we’ll introduce them first. Is he good to go on a walk?”

“Yeah!” Ezran said, “Here, let me go get his leash.”

He carried Zym back to the front porch where they had all the dog items laid out, and grabbed the leash, hooking it to Zym’s collar. Ezran pulled it tight so Zym couldn’t rush off into the middle of the street, but he seemed like he certainly wanted to.

When they came back to the fence, Ellis was across the street with Ava. “We’re going to start them out separate,” Ellis called out to him, “Have them focus on the walk instead of on each other. Then we’ll slowly start bringing them together so they can get along with a shared structured activity.” 

“Oh,” Ezran said, “Okay!” 

Zym was still trying to pull towards Ava, very curious about the dog across the way. Ava was calmly walking, as easily on 3 legs as Zym did on 4. She would lean over to sniff something interesting once in a while, but after a bit, Ellis would pull her along and she’d come. Zym, meanwhile, was bouncing all over the sidewalk, wanting to sniff anything that seemed at all interesting. 

Ezran looked over apologetically at Ellis, but she didn’t seem upset. They made it to a park, walking through the grass with separation between them. 

Zym was still being hyper, sniffing anything he could come across. He didn’t even seem to notice Ellis directing Ava closer and closer together. Or rather, he noticed, but became accustomed to it, like slightly warming water. 

Before long, Zym and Ava were walking side by side, sniffing things and exploring the park before them. Zym would follow Ava, sniffing the same trees she did, and then peeing on them after she had. They weren’t exactly close buddies yet, but they were interacting now without freaking each other out. “How did you do that?” Ezran said, “You just….got him to behave like magic.”

Ellis chuckled, “Not magic,” she said, “You just have to think like a dog. Zym hasn’t encountered much in his life, so he’s curious. You can’t just make animals do what you want by yelling or forcing it, they rarely understand. So you just gotta introduce stuff to them in a way they understand.”

Ezran smiled at his dog. “Will you teach me how to get him to sit and stuff.”

Ellis shrugged, “I can show you a few tricks,” she said, “But training takes time and patience, it’s not like flipping a switch. It’ll be a while before he really gets it.”

Ezran nodded, “I’m ready!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey this is your reminder that animals arent robots and can't speak english so like. Expecting to always behave in the way you want is unrealistic and sometimes dangerous so maybe put in a little patience, especially if your dog (or someone elses dog) is coming up on something new)


	40. Ikea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Runaan tries to pull a romantic gesture, but has no idea what he's in for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3 guesses what I've been doing this whole week.

Rayla put a potato chip in her mouth and crunched as obnoxiously as she could. “Sure you don’t want help with that?” 

Runaan glared at her over the instruction manual he was holding. “I am a diplomat for the United States and Xadia,” he said, “I consistently deal with senators, ambassadors, high level foreign matters. I can handle a bed.”

Rayla plopped another chip in her mouth and went downstairs. “Mk. Haaaave fun.”

Takaan was moving to the united states, and wanted to get a new bed. Runaan’s currently was fine for when he stayed over, but they wanted a larger one for when he was living there. If this were all Runaan’s decision, he would have ordered one whole-sale from a furniture store and hired movers to take the bed inside.

But Takaan was fascinated by the nature of the Ikea store. They didn’t have any Ikeas in Xadia, despite the fact it was closer to Sweden than America. Takaan’s eyes went wide at all the things they had prepared to put together. He loved working with his hands and building things, or making things. Often whatever paperclip or post-it that landed in his hands would be folded and molded into some sort of small sculpture, and those weren’t even intentional. 

Takaan went through all the manuals and fell in love with a bed with underbed and headboard storage he thought they would use a lot. Runaan, for all his cold attitude, was commonly called a ‘sucker’ for….approximately 3 people. And Takaan was one of them. So he bought the damn bed. 

The parts had all been delivered in ridiculously tight packaging that was impossible to open. Takaan had traveled back to Xadia to prepare everything he needed for his permanent move, telling Runaan not to worry about it, he’d put the thing together when he came back. 

Runaan got an idea, though. He thought he’d prepare the bed himself as a surprise for Takaan. While Runaan brought in the money, Takaan often teased him that he wasn’t as handy around the home. Before Rayla came and moved in, his living conditions were more bachelor-esque, not worrying about dishes or laundry until he needed them. With Rayla he tried to have more chores done, but he found them irritating, so either made Rayla do them, or did them himself as quickly as possible. 

He could do this though. He was going to be married, meaning his bachelor habits had to die. He was going to prove how capable he was, and Takaan would get that amazed smile on his face when he came home to the bed he wanted already completed. 

Runaan looked at the engagement ring on his finger. He was going to get that smile. 

If only he knew what these damn pictures meant. 

As a species, humanity had progressed beyond the point of hieroglyphics, right? So why weren’t there any WORDS on this thing? The pieces all looked the same, why weren’t they labeled? Or they were, but they were labeled something incomprehensible!

He connected a pair of boards. It was...supposed to be a bit angled like that, right? It didn’t really look that way in the picture. He jammed the screw out and did it again, carefully ensuring the screws were straight. 

The screwing itself was a mess. Were the holes too small? Were these the right holes? The paint seemed to be peeling back a bit as he put the screw in. Had he done it too far? Not far enough?

Just when he thought he was getting the hang of things he got ahead of himself. He attached the headboard, and then getting the idea, decided to get the endboard on too. It seemed to work the same way. 

This was a mistake. The next step was not putting on the endboard, the next step was putting on the sideboards. Which he couldn’t do, because he’d just closed off where all the screws were supposed to go. 

He groaned to the heavens, and when that didn’t magically make the boards work properly, he reluctantly took off the hard work he’d put in.

Rayla came and checked on him after the outburst. “You SURE you don’t need anything?”

“I have this!” Runaan snapped, banging on the boards with his fist to get them to connect. He at least knew better than to use a metal hammer on the wooden boards, “I can do it, just give me some time. 

He had wanted to start work on the headboard by now, but he hadn’t even gotten to the cabinets. Still, he was encouraged even as his screws kept stripping, that it was starting to look more and more like a bed. Soon he’d be able to heave the mattress onto it, and maybe take a break. 

He was in the process of putting the slating down so he could do exactly that, when he realized that the slates weren’t going in like the picture. Just as he was trying to figure out what he was doing wrong, he read the label. The slating was for a king sized bed. He had a queen. 

This time when Rayla came to check on him, he was lying face down on the ground. “You can drive now, right?” he mumbled from the floor. He dug his keys out of his pocket and threw them at her. “Exchange these please.”

Rayla snorted, collecting up the wrong slates. “Don’t die while I’m gone, ok?”

“I’m already dead,” Runaan muttered, and banged his head on the ground. Rayla laughed at his pain.


	41. Happy Birthday Tinker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takaan is back in America, and ready to meet people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was about to start writing something else, and then I saw it was the Tinker's birthday on tumblr.   
> I almost hope he doesn't show up in the show because I have so many headcanons based on his personality.

“Are you sure?” Runaan asked him again, “I don’t know these people all that well.”

“Runaan,” Takaan said, “How long have you been living in America?” Runaan huffed, not willing to answer the question because Takaan knew the answer very well, “How do you not have any friends!”

“I have friends at the embassy,” Runaan tried to argue, but they both knew the argument was weak. “I just don’t like people over all the time.”

Takaan rolled his eyes, “So Rayla’s told me,” he said, “What’s this about not letting her have slumber parties.”

Runaan gaped, “Most of her friends are boys!” he said, “I’m not having a boy-girl party staying at my house.”

Takaan stared him down. “Don’t use heteronormativity to get out of proper socialization for your niece,” he said, “Now come on, we’ve almost got everything ready.”

Runaan tried very hard not to groan. It was Takaan’s birthday, and he promised they could do whatever he wanted. Of course, that had been when Runaan thought what he wanted would be an intimate candlenight dinner, with maybe some presents. Hell, if he wanted people around, Rayla could join them for a movie or something. 

But Takaan wanted to meet people in the area he was about to be moving to. He said it like it was a very reasonable idea, and not a nightmare to someone like Runaan. But if he insisted, Runaan would oblige. 

“They’re here!” Rayla called from downstairs. Runaan made sure the door was locked and then came down. Rayla was peeking through the blinds at their driveway. Runaan came as well, squinting behind her. 

“For the love of Xadia,” Runaan said, “How many people did you invite?” There were people out on the driveway Runaan hadn’t even met. 

“I may have asked Harrow to bring some people along,” he said, “I certainly could stand to meet more people, and so could you.”

Runaan recognized several of the faces from PTA meetings. There was Rayla’s Psych teacher, Villads, but mostly parents, like Ahling, Fareeda, Florian….and then there was Harrow’s sister-in-law, Amaya, her interpreter, a woman he hadn’t seen before, and a man he was pretty sure was the high school janitor, Corvus. Thankfully Viren didn’t seem to be in attendance. Runaan didn’t know if he’d been invited, but was thankful he hadn’t shown up either way. 

“Stop snooping,” Takaan smacked the both of them, “Come on, it’s time to greet people.” 

The house was almost immediately filled with noise as people entered, shuffling off their shoes and coats (the shoes rule Runaan put his foot down on) and Takaan greeted them one by one. 

“It’s wonderful to finally see your place!” Harrow said, looking around, “I love your sense of decor, Runaan!”

Runaan had no idea what he meant, most of his walls were bare, though the tables were covered in the trinkets that Takaan had made. He supposed since Takaan was living there now, he should make some effort to actually put some of it on the wall, or at least get some shelving to properly display. 

Runaan ended up in a conversation with the woman Amaya had brought, Janai, who worked with her at her non-profit. It turned out she’d done some study abroad in Xadia for a while, and they were able to talk some about martial arts, and most importantly, how they didn’t really know anyone else here. 

Rayla had fled to her room at some point with a plate (more like a platter) full of food, and everyone excused it for her being a teenager and not wanting to interact with adults. Which, he supposed was fair, but no it wasn’t at all. He wanted to escape to his room too. 

Takaan was fluttering about, greeting people, trying to integrate into conversations, while also keeping the tables full of food and everyone happy. 

At some point, though, Runaan noticed he didn’t see Takaan around. Quietly excusing himself from Janai, he made it to the kitchen. 

Takaan was inside, furiously plating food, and then going back and fixing his mistakes from dropping things. He then took a giant swig of coffee. “What are you doing?” Runaan asked.

Takaan jerked up, the coffee spilling a bit. “Oh! Runaan!” Don’t worry about me, just getting everything set up. I forgot how much people could eat! Go out and mingle, I’ll be there in just a minute.”

Runaan sighed, taking him by the wrists and making him put down the food, turning toward him. “It’s your birthday,” he said, a slow fact, “You should be the one out there enjoying YOUR party.”

Takaan shrugged, “Life of the host. I’m fine, really, you just--”

“Stop,” Runaan said, “Go out, talk to people, I’ll get the food.” He then leaned in, kissing him on the head, “You can take care of everyone else all you want. But let me take care of you.”

Takaan smiled, and nodded, leaving Runaan behind in the empty kitchen. 

Runaan sipped slowly on Takaan’s coffee. Spending time alone in the kitchen focusing on a task? This he could do.


	42. Assistance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Opeli runs Harrow's office for a week and gets a little overzealous.

“Ok, I’ll be checking my emails at least twice a day, but if there’s an emergency please call me. All my clients should know I’m out, but if they forget just take some messages.”

“Harrow.”

“And if you could just drop by my house maybe on Friday? And set my mail on my dining room table.”

“Harrow….”

“If things DO come up, then I’ve left a list of other attorneys nearby that my clients should see, they know about the trip so they should--”

Opeli grabbed Harrow’s face in her hands, getting him to focus. “I know the drill,” she said, “I promise, nothing’s going to burn down if you just take a few days off.”

Harrow took a deep breath. “You’re right. You’re right. Of course, you’re right.” He nodded, looking over the office, trying to think of anything else he might have forgotten. 

Harrow and family were going on a trip to Xadia, for his children to visit their exchange student friend there over the summer. He wasn’t exactly a workaholic, usually, he loved being there for his kids……..but he also loved being there for his clients, many of whom he saw like family. He was prone to taking cases no one else would take, from people who normally couldn’t afford a lawyer. He was in the business for all the right reasons, which is why Opeli came to work for him.

But it also meant she was ready to hit him over the head with a 2 by 4 if it meant he’d just relax. 

“Seriously, call if anything happens,” he said, “I left you my hotel number, so-”

“Harrow?”

“Yes?”

“You’re going to miss your flight.”

Harrow looked at his watch and jumped, grabbing the bag he left on the floor, “Have a good week!” he called to her as he ran out the door.”

Opeli sighed, sitting back in her chair. She’d already done her morning routine, so the emails that needed taking care of were done, and the papers that needed to be filed were filed. Now to get to her real business. 

She pulled out her nail kit from her bag and set everything up. She had the whole office to herself, for a whole WEEK. Time for Opeli to get a break as well. 

She pulled up a nail art tutorial online. She normally went simple, but since she had the extra time, she wanted to try experimenting a little with some swirl patterns. 

The computer dinged and an email had come up. One of Harrow’s clients had some paperwork needed to fill out.

Opeli looked it over. She knew all the information they were looking for. She filled it out, and sent it on. 

A few more messages pinged throughout the day. She knew the answers, or could easily find out be emailing other people, so she sent them along, trying to make sure that the clients got the information they needed as soon as possible, that dates for meetings were set up, etc. etc.

The day was almost over when she got a phone call. 

“Katolis and Dark legal assistance, Opeli speaking.”

“Hey, it’s me,” Harrow called, “I’m on the plane, um, can you send these emails just through Fareen’s office? Let them know to handle it.”

“Oh,” Opeli said, “Sorry, I was just trying to help.”

“I know,” he said, “But, legal stuff, you know? You….you can’t fill out some of these forms, you don’t have the legal right since you’re not their lawyer.”

Opeli shrank in on herself, “I’m sorry, Harrow.”

“It’s fine,” he said, “I know you were helping, and you didn’t do any damage. Just. Send it through Fareen.” 

Opeli sighed, “Sorry for interrupting your vacation.”

“That’s fine, see you in a few days.”

Opeli felt ashamed. She had been their assistant for a while, and she should have known better. She was just trying to work on behalf of the office, and she liked doing these legal works. 

Maybe….maybe she should become a lawyer herself.


	43. Coming Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia has come to a realization about herself, but the scary part is figuring out how to tell her dad.

“It’s probably not going to be a big deal, right?” Claudia said, pacing back and forth in Soren’s room, “I mean. Dad’s never really cared about my personal life, or expected me to get married and have babies or whatever. And it’s not like I’m NOT going to get married someday! Not sure about kids, though.” Claudia paused in pacing just a moment as a new wave of anxiety over THAT washed over her. 

“It’s not like he wants me to date ANYone right now anyway,” she said, “And it’s not like….it’s not like I’m going to! I’m totally down for focusing on my education right now, I mean, the college search has only just begun, and I don’t. I mean. I like hanging out with friends, but that’s different than dating. I don’t have time for any gender!”

Soren was laying on the bed behind her, playing a phone game as he more or less listened. The words didn’t matter as much as trying to figure out if Claudia was gaining steam or wearing herself out. If she was wearing herself out, he’d just let her go, but if she was spiralling he might need to step in. Too early to tell, though. 

Claudia didn’t seem to mind he wasn’t paying attention as she wore down a path through the carpet. “Dad’s not exactly religious or anything,” she said, “I mean, he takes us to church on Christmas and Easter, but that’s the basic protestant thing, right? And Christian doesn’t mean ‘bigot.’ It’s not like he’ll care….but he’s never really mentioned any views on lgbt issues at all. You’d have thought it would come up, right? Like. How has it not come up before now? Is he just avoiding it ‘cause he secretly hates it, but doesn’t want to make a thing out of it? Oh God, that’s exactly the kind of thing he’d do if he hated it, what if he kicks me out on the streets and I have to try and beg for money and I can’t go to college and my career gets ruined and--”

And that was Soren’s cue. He stood up and took Claudia by the shoulders, firm, but not bruising. Claudia jerked at the sudden presence, having forgotten he was there. “In,” he instructed, and she gasped like she was about to dive under water, “And out,” She did as instructed, a little slower. “Couple more times now.” 

She took a few more deep breaths under his supervision, before she seemed ready. “First off,” he said, “In that worst case scenario you got cookin’ up, there are plenty of other adults we know who would gladly take you in if Dad decided to be a douche. Harrow already thinks of us as partially his kids, and you could always go find mom, or Amaya, or...I dunno, Runaan. He might help out of spite.”

She exhaled a little fast in what might have been a laugh if she was in a better mood. “Next,” he said, “I doubt it’s going to come to that anyway. I don’t know how he feels or how he’ll respond, I really don’t. But we both know you’re the favorite.”

“I’m not--”

“Please.” He said, rolling his eyes, “You’re going to be the best scientist in the world and like, cure cancer or something, and Dad’s going to be right behind you grabbing up the keys to the city or whatever to put on the fridge.”

Claudia gave him a flat look, unsure whether to correct his attitude or the number of things he said wrong in that sentence. “He loves you,” Soren said, “And I love you, and we’re not going to let anything happen to you.”

Claudia took a shuddered breath, trying to keep herself from crying. It didn’t totally work. Before she could think of something to say, though, they both heard the door downstairs meaning her dad was home. “You don’t have to do this today you know,” Soren said.

“I know,” she said, “but I just. I want it done.” 

“You want me to be there?” he asked. She shook her head. She’d rather have him up here as a safety net to run to. 

Slowly she came downstairs, seeing her Dad putting down his work stuff, keys, coat, the whole nine yards, “Evening, Claudia,” he said behind a yawn, “Have you and Soren eaten dinner yet?”

“Yeah,” she said, though she’d barely eaten half her lean cuisine. “Good day?”

“Alright,” he said. He looked around, “Is Soren out?”

“He’s upstairs,” she said, “I...I wanted to talk to you about something first.”

That got her Dad to pause and give her his attention. He was frowning, but not upset, just serious. He nodded, indicating for her to continue. “I’m bisexual,” She blurted out.

The crease in his brow flattened as he processed what she said. He nodded again, and she felt like she could breathe. “Me too,” he said, a little quietly.

She blinked. Of all the possible reactions she could have gotten, that was not one she was expecting.

Viren continued into the kitchen to get his food, like the world was going on normally and Claudia’s entire mind hadn’t exploded. “Still no dating until college,” he said, and she snorted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We had """bad""" Viren last week so I wanted to return to good dad Viren. He may not be the warmest or kindest, but he loves his kids.


	44. Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callum is curious about the foreign exchange student in his class. 
> 
> AKA Callum and Rayla becoming friends.

Callum was determined. The new girl in his psych class, the foreign exchange student, was going to be his friend. 

If only he had any idea of how to make that happen. 

It wasn’t like he was anti-social. He was often told he was friendly! ‘A polite little gentleman’ his Dad’s condescending friends from work said. 

And it wasn’t like he didn’t HAVE friends. Soren and Claudia were practically his older siblings. Sure, they had their own friends they probably hung out with more than him, but Callum didn’t mind. There was Ezran at home, and at school he was focused on either work or alone time. He liked alone time, and relished in drawing and being in his own little world. 

But Rayla seemed really cool. Well, cool in Callum’s definition, not the ‘cool kids’ popular cool. But he couldn’t stand most of those kids anyway. Rayla seemed his kinda cool, she clearly liked anime, and she was pretty smart...she kept to herself almost as much as he did, and he didn’t want to interrupt that. He just thought maybe they could have some alone time together.

If only he could figure out how to talk to her like a human being. 

She sat RIGHT next to him. They were both always the first ones in class, as they didn’t want to hang out in the halls waiting for the bell to ring. 

Usually, Callum would take this time to draw, or catch up on some homework if he really needed to. Rayla would be on her phone, typing something frantically though he didn’t know what. He wasn’t sure if she was texting or writing something. Either way he didn’t know how to interrupt it to talk. 

How does anyone talk about anything? How do people get to talking? Why didn’t everyone just sit silently to themselves? These were all questions that came to Callum’s mind as he pretended to sketch but kept looking out the corner of his eyes at Rayla. 

‘So, you like anime?’ was one possible prompt his mind supplied. But what, was he just going to come out of nowhere with that? With no buildup? No pretense? He could picture her staring blankly at him, how dare he interrupt her with so inane a comment. 

At best he could picture her saying ‘yeah,’ and then ending the conversation quickly.

This argument shot down several other opening lines like, ‘how are you?’ ‘What’s Xadia like?’ ‘How are you liking America?’ Etc. 

Nope. No, no no. Couldn’t do that. 

He needed a REASON to talk to her. Maybe he could ask for help with homework? But he didn’t want her thinking he was dumb. Something about an assignment? Same problem. 

Ugh, how do people become friends???

“You got a pencil?” She asked, surprising him out of his reverie. 

“Uh,” He said, freezing up, “Yeah. Yeah! Hang on.” He went digging through his bag to find a spare. “I always have a bunch on me, so no worries.”

“You’re an artist, right?” she said, nodding at his sketchbook, “What do you draw?”

Callum handed him the spare pencil. “Just, whatever comes to mind for the most part. Friends, family, TV characters. Cartoons are easiest, ‘cause I can learn their style.” He swallowed, “I tend to like doing pokemon characters in the morning. You know, as a kind of warm up.”

Rayla’s eyes brightened. “You like Pokemon, huh?” she said, “Which edition.”

Callum shrugged, “My brother’s more the one who plays. I mostly just like watching the cartoons and stuff, kinda from the side.” She nodded, “I like a lot of the original 150, though. But also the alola pokemon are fun.”

“Oh yeah,” Rayla said, “I played Sun and moon. I love Litten. I kinda wish his evolved form was less….like that.”

They both laughed. Callum didn’t know much about pokemon, but that didn’t so much matter, Rayla was happy to tell him about things he didn’t know. 

And besides, the conversation was good enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *writes fic instead of talking to the person down the hall I want to be friends with.*


	45. A Friend in Need

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Harrow and Viren split, Harrow needs a friend, and Runaan really wished that friend wasn't him.

After several months of badgering and forced interaction, Runaan was begrudgingly ready to admit he and Harrow were friends. He’s been regretting this decision ever since. 

“I just don’t know what to do,” Harrow said, for the 3rd or 5th time, depending on if he’d repeated himself more while Runaan had been out of the room ‘getting drinks.’ “I don’t. We were closer than some married couples. We raised our kids alongside each other. He was my best friend, I don’t….I feel like the last 20 years has been a lie.”

Runaan, for his part, was not really surprise Viren turned out to be a scumbag. Harrow had come over telling him how Viren revealed how he had been doing illicit things to improve his career, and now he was leaving to run for office. He certainly seemed like an American Politician to Runaan, so. If the glove fits. 

Runaan was just glad Takaan had moved in by this point, even if most of his belongings were still in boxes. Takaan was always the sympathetic and empathetic one. He didn’t seem annoyed at all that their evening plans were destroyed when Harrow came, knocking on their door because he didn’t know where to go. 

“Sometimes lies are in parts,” Takaan said, keeping a hand on Harrow’s back. “One bad gear can ruin the whole motor. But that doesn’t mean it was all bad, just….just that gear needs replacing.”

“Before it breaks the whole mechanism,” Runaan added, putting the drinks down. Takaan gave him a slight glare. “I’m just saying.”

“I don’t know how to ‘replace the gear,’ Harrow said, his tears mostly dry but still clearly not alright. “I don’t even know what pieces can be kept anymore. Soren’s shipping out soon, and the kids want to see him off, throw him a party. Do I forbid them from seeing their friends, just because I don’t want to see….” His words failed at his former partner’s name. “And what about the business?” he continued, “He was right, he does a lot of the paperwork and nitty gritty parts. If he was just leaving cordially he could have gradually shown me what I need to do, but now I don’t know what I don’t know! What if it all falls apart?” 

Takaan pats him a little more furiously, “One step at a time,” he says, calmingly, “You still have your assistant, and we all know Opeli is top of her game. And your kids….your kids are smart. They’ll be able to figure things out.”

Runaan could read that expression clearly. Takaan was trying to be comforting, but he honestly didn’t know what to do. They both knew the truth, but Takaan didn’t want to say it. 

Maybe Runaan could have this one. There were benefits to being the mean friend. He sat on Harrow’s other side and waited until Harrow looked up at him. “This is going to be hell, for everybody.

“Runaan,” Takaan chided, but Runaan continued. 

“On you, on him, on your assistant, and on the kids. They are going to have to figure out if this means the families have to split, if your kids can’t be friends with Claudia and Soren anymore, and Viren’s kids are going to have to figure out if they can choose between their friends and their father. And there is nothing you can do to stop that.”

Harrow swallowed, hope draining out of his face. Takaan was frowning at him, and Runaan knew he was going to pay for this. “But, you can try and comfort them. Be the one that’s open. It doesn’t mean it’ll prevent everything, but you don’t have to be the one to force that decision. This is going to suck, and pretending it isn’t won’t help anyone. So acknowledge it, and be an example to your kids. Explain why it’s happening, be open. And take care of yourself as well, or you won’t be able to help them at all.” 

Harrow stayed silent for a moment longer. “You’re right,” he said, nodding to himself, “You’re right, I just have to….I’ll be there for them and…” A fresh wave of tears was springing to his eyes and he covered his face. 

Takaan wrapped his arm around him again and said, “Runaan, why don’t you go up and um,” he fumbled a second, trying to find an excuse to get Runaan out of the room, “Just...go up, alright?”

Runaan nodded, not regretting what he said, but knowing he couldn’t help with this part, the feelings part. He got up and went upstairs, hearing Takaan starting to whisper comforts to Harrow. 

He was adept at moving silently, and so he saw the shadow at the top of the stairs dart into Rayla’s room as he moved. He sighed and knocked on her door. Hesitant, she opened it for him, feeling guilty. “You were listening?” he asked quietly, not giving her grief that it was past her curfew. She nodded. “I don’t know how much any of the other kids know yet,” he said, knowing they had all been planning on hanging out for these last few days of summer before Rayla started her second year at high school in America, “But I don’t want any of them to hear it from you, alright?” She nodded again. “When they do find out, though, they’re all going to need a friend. Try and help where you can, but also try not to get bogged in it as much as you can.”

He didn’t know if that advice was in any way feasible. They all seemed to get bogged down in this mess, the minute Rayla became friends with this strange family. Still, Rayla nodded. Runaan was ready to close the door, when she asked, “What’s going to happen?”

Runaan sighed, “I don’t know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I find it interesting that I've made Runaan and Harrow friends when Runaan you know. Killed him. Kinda. In canon. But still.   
> Anyway, I swear these fics follow somewhat of a timeline, but like. It's gettin more complicated. So. maybe I'll write that down at some point and try and create like a reference sheet.


	46. Interpretation Error

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Janai and Amaya have been becoming closer and closer friends, and Janai's ready to take the next step, if she's able.

Janai was rusty with sign language. 

She had learned in school, and could do basic conversation, but she was far from fluent. She hadn’t spent enough time practicing with people who used it. 

It was part of why she was insistent on using it at her job when she could. She was getting along well with Gren, who had any number of tricks and most importantly, patience, to talk with her in ASL while they were on breaks. He invited her to a few deaf chats as well to help up her fluency. Often times it made her feel embarrassed more than anything as she had to ask for people to repeat things multiple times, or to sign slower, or spell them out, especially for words she KNEW she had learned before. 

But she was determined to learn more. First it was good as a receptionist for a disability advocates group to be able to speak fluently with everyone. 

Second: Amaya. 

Amaya was tough.There weren’t many people out there that could match Janai’s attitude and...well, just physical strength. There was a gym at their facility, mainly to accommodate their disabled patrons considering not many places had the equipment set up, and both Janai and Amaya spent a good portion of their lunches there.

And neither of them needed words of any kind to challenge each other. 

Usually it was weights, who could lift more, bench more, push more, but it extended to other things. Who could plank longer. Who could flex into the most difficult yoga poses. Who could get more reps done on a punching bag. 

The whole thing stressed Gren out and he usually left, but it was all in good fun. Afterwards they’d retreat to the locker room, and they’d talk a bit. It was usually practice questions, going back and forth. It was good practice for signing, Amaya said. 

“What is your favorite color?” Janai asked.

Amaya smirked, “Blue.” She took a swig of water, but kept signing with her other hand, “You like dogs?”

“Yes!” Janai signed back enthusiastically. Amaya was almost done getting ready. It was time. 

Janai took a breath, and signed the question. She had to look it up on the internet. 

Amaya frowned at her and Janai was nervous she’d crossed a line. “Again?”

Janai nodded and signed slower, “You,” Amaya nodded, “want, go,” and then tried to sign the rest before Amaya stopped her, repeating the gesture confused. 

Janai fingerspelled. “O, u, t.”

Amaya nodded, and corrected the sign. Janai repeated it, then, “You want go out with me?”

Amaya blinked. “Again?” she signed. She repeated the question. “Like dating?”

Dating. Why didn’t Janai just look up the sign for dating instead of finding the apparently incorrect sign for ‘out.’ In any case she signed “yes.” 

Amaya smiled, “Yes,” she signed back. 

“Yes?” Janai asked. 

“I like you,” Amaya returned. 

Janai didn’t have the words let alone the signs to express how she was feeling right now. Instead she just kind of held out her arms awkwardly, trying to make her intentions clear. 

It seemed to work because before she knew it Amaya was hugging her back and squeezing her guts out. 

Janai didn’t mind though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is how I asked out my partner. Well, not at a gym, but with the signing. They're hard of hearing, not deaf, so luckily they understood when my brain stopped functioning and I asked for a hug.


	47. Martial Arts Lesson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rayla teaches Callum and Ezran the basics of Umbra Pugna, the martial arts of Xadia.

“Rayla?”

“Mmmhm?”

“Can I PLEASE get down now?”

“Mmm. Nope.”

Callum groaned, his arms screaming in pain at holding up his bodyweight so he could hang off the pillar. Especially when the sweet release of the ground was mere feet below him.

“Rayla….” Ezran said, “I’m dying.” He was clutching onto his own pillar, knuckles pale with the strain of just holding his arms around it. 

“When I first started Umbra Pugna,” Rayla said, “I was half your age, Ezran. And my uncle put me up on a pillar twice as high!”

Callum gasped in pain at the idea of doing this at the age of 5. “Isn’t that child abuse?!”

“Another 30 seconds!” Rayla called hitting the button below them. Ezran and Callum both whined. Ezran used what muscle he had, swinging his legs over to kick Callum in the butt. “Keep still.”

“You’ll punish me, but not him?!” Callum said. 

“Sorry, did you WANT another minute added?” Rayla frowned up at him. Callum stubbornly stayed quiet. “The art of Umbra Pugna,” she said, “Is not just hitting and kicking like any other martial art. You must build your stamina, to become ONE with your environment, to be able to use it.”

“But there is hitting and kicking stuff eventually, right?” Ezran asked. 

Rayla smirked. “Eventually. First you have to train, build up your muscle, your endurance. Ancient Xadians hid in the trees for days to avoid the Romans and then the Saxons, and then the English! Don’t you want to be like your ancestors?”

“We’re not Xadians! And I kinda just wanted to try the swinging and the jumping around stuff,” Callum said, “But now I’m not sure I’m cut out for it.”

“I am!” Ezran said, breathing heavily, “I’m gonna be like the Xadians!”

“Good!” Rayla said, patting him on the back, “Feel the spirit singing through your blood!”

The timer Rayla had beeped and both boys fell to the mats below in a heap. “I feel my blood alright,” Callum said, “But it’s more like pounding in my skull.”

“I can’t feel my fingers,” Ezran said, “Callum did my fingers fall off?”

“No,” Callum whined.

“You didn’t even LOOK!” 

Rayla crouched over the both of them. “Not bad,” she said, “Make sure to stretch your arms thoroughly. Tomorrow we’ll go for another minute longer.

Callum groaned, tilting his head up to look at her upside down. “Is this torture of some kind?” He asked, “Did we anger you? Because I’ll get you an apology card for whatever it is, but please just….no more…”

“You guys were the ones who asked me for lessons,” Rayla said, “Besides, if you don’t practice every day, how are you ever gonna be able to do this?” 

Rayla took a running start at Callum’s pillar, pulling herself up with ease and proceeding to do a handstand on top of it. Her arms were perfectly steady as she stared down at them. 

Callum flailed dramatically. “My hands are delicate instruments made for art,” he said, “I can’t afford to break them doing that.”

Rayla fluidly lowered herself back to the ground, hands on her hips, “You’re not going to break your arms,” She said, “Not unless I do it for you.”

Both boys whined more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Runaan was totally able to catch little Rayla, she was never in danger.


	48. Rayla and the cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rayla sees a cat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short one because life hit me in the face like a ton of bricks.

It was there again. A little calico cat at the end of the street. It didn’t seem distressed or scared, just going about her business. Rayla had never interfered with it or bother it in anyway. She would always just calmly nod at it and walk past. 

The first time Rayla had seen her she took a picture. She loved cats and would take pictures of them when she saw them outside. Based on how calm this one was, she assumed it was a pet someone let outside, which…..she had opinions on, but it wasn’t her cat and she wasn’t about to go lecturing someone. Especially because she didn’t know who to lecture to. 

She would walk down to the corner store fairly often to get odds and ends, whether for her uncle or just a treat for herself. During that time, she kept seeing the cat, usually around the eyesore at the end of the street. 

All the houses in the area were made at the same time and mostly just copies of one another, with small characteristics to ensure they weren’t EXACT carbon copies. They were all like that, except for the house at the corner. It was a huge 3 story brick, not in keeping with the aesthetic of the rest of the housing complex at all. Runaan sait it was built just before Rayla moved in, and was always irritated with it, something about property values. Rayla wouldn’t have minded, she could respect some need for individuality in hellscape suburban America, but the house…...the house definitely seemed built for the single purpose of showing off how rich the owners and therefore, the people who had the house made were. So she wasn’t that impressed. 

Recently, there had been a ‘for sale’ sign up, which quickly got changed to a ‘sold’ to everyone’s combined surprise. Most were delighted, hoping the new owners would tear it down and make something a little more fitting, though they would later complain about construction. 

Rayla was a bit sad though. For all her distaste for the owners, she wouldn’t get to see that cat anymore, once they’d moved. 

Which is why she was so surprised the cat was still there. The moving trucks had left yesterday. Runaan had been complaining because they blocked off the whole cul-de-sac. Rayla had seen the family walk out and get into their packed car. 

So why was the cat still here?

Did it belong to another house, and she had just...stayed by this place? For some reason? Or maybe they had left food and were coming back for her. 

The cat locked eyes with her and made a bee-line to her feet. Instantly she started meowing at her, clearly upset. Rayla reached down and skritched her ears, which she enjoyed, rubbing up against her legs. 

Rayla debated her quest for twinkies and instead subtly approached the house. She was good at not being seen. She looked into the windows….there was nothing around. As she suspected it was completely cleaned out.

The cat followed her, continuing to meow demandingly. “I bet you’re hungry, aren’t ya?” Rayla said. The cat meowed again.

Sighing, Rayla continued to the corner store and looked at the shelf with cat food. It probably wasn’t very high quality, but, food is food.

When she came back, the calico was sitting there, happy as anything. Once again she trotted up to Rayla and started wailing about her hunger. It would almost be funny except for the fact she definitely actually was hungry. 

Rayla opened the can and set it down. The cat greedily ate away at it. “Well,” Rayla said to the cat and herself, “Looks like I have a cat now.”

The cat did not respond as it was busy consuming the food.


	49. Blocked

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callum is not feeling the art today.

Callum sighed, staring at his screen. 

He tapped his stylus absentmindedly on the screen. What to draw. What. To. Draw. 

He had a few floating ideas over the last few days, but nothing had taken real shape in his mind or more importantly, on his tablet. 

He had an assignment for art class that was pretty open structured, which were usually his favorite because he got to think outside of the box. Still, it wasn’t like this was due anytime soon. He had plenty of time to procrastinate more if he wanted. 

But he didn’t WANT to be procrastinating. He liked art. It was just hard to remind himself of this when he felt like he had to force himself at it. 

He hadn’t even done any FUN drawings. Usually he was constantly sketching or thinking about sketching and just. Working on new projects. He’d of course gotten stuck and frustrated before, trying to figure out HOW to make something look. But rarely was he so at a loss for inspiration all together. 

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to draw. Or maybe it was. Ugh, his mind was so muddled. He just. He wanted the feeling that he usually got FROM drawing. He loved doing art, it was like….like opening a tap and letting his consciousness stream out his brain, down his arm onto the page or the computer. 

It didn’t matter if he was drawing something serious or funny, simple or complex. Every drawing was a part of him. Some were hardly more than doodles before he posted them onto the internet. Some he poured over for months, coming back to them over and over to get them just right. 

But now, nothing was coming. There was no stream. The tap was tapped out. 

He did other things. Important things. He did his homework, he practiced for band, he did his chores. 

He knew what the problem was. Last week, he’d been called into Aaravos’s office. He hadn’t interacted with the school guidance counselor all that much, he just knew that a lot of the kids either called him creepy or hot. Callum was more reserved in his judgement, since he didn’t even know the guy that well. 

Aaravos told him that because his grades had slipped, he had lost his standing in the honor group. It wasn’t like they’d slipped a LOT, just a couple more c’s than was allowed for the High Honor group. It didn’t really mean much. He wouldn’t get to stand with the other high honor kids at graduation. He couldn’t take any more of those classes, but he was done with them anyway, he was moving onto AP courses next year, things that actually mattered for college. 

Harrow was always supportive of him no matter his grades. It was more important to him that he was learning rather than sacrificing his mental health or memorizing nonsense. 

And sure, he’d struggled, going into high school. He never had to try in elementary and middle school, following the instructions and interpreting them was easy. He’d always, always been praised for how smart he was, how he didn’t need help. It was a relief for his teachers, they didn’t have to worry about them. 

Somewhere along the way, subconsciously, he’d learned that asking questions meant he wasn’t smart. That was for people who didn’t understand, and he always understood, so he didn’t ask questions. 

He was trying to unlearn that, he really was. Nervous and panicking, and with a lot of encouragement from Harrow, he approached his teachers looking for help. And he got it, and he was getting better, a bit. 

Not enough though. It just. It wasn’t enough. 

Callum put his head in his hands, trying to stem the flow of unproductive thoughts before it could gain too much steam. He took deep breaths as he had been advised to do. 

He thought about putting his art off another day. He didn’t need to, after all. It was ok to give himself a break. But he’d taken a break the last several days and didn’t want to AGAIN. 

He’d asked for prompts on tumblr but it wasn’t like he was a particularly famous blog, so he hadn’t gotten anything from it. Instead he just. Sat there. 

Sighing he made a line. That was a start. Just something little, it didn’t have to be anything grand. Just to warm up a bit. 

He ended up with a short comic on writers block, trying to express visually how he was feeling. It wasnt perfect, but at least he got something done today. It was a step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3 guesses why I haven't posted anything the last couple days.
> 
> The losing honor placement did actually happen to me. It meant nothing, but at the time felt horrible.   
> Unsure about as horrible as now, but I don't want to write about characters getting fired :)


	50. Love Wins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Runaan and his sister have a talk before Runaan gets married.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaack
> 
> So, yeah, as I mentioned in previous chapters, life hit me in the proverbial nuts, but I really really want to keep up my writing, which is what these warm up fics are all about. So now its my goal to keep them going, because then, even on low days, I'll have written SOMEthing.
> 
> I'm so glad you've been enjoying these short little stories, and I hope you continue to enjoy.

“My baby brother’s getting MARRIED!!!” Rula said, running up from behind him and hugging him. 

“Rula!” Runaan whined. “If you won’t treat ME with dignity, will you at least respect the tuxedo?”

Rula was kind enough to release him and allow him to brush off the tux, but she was still bouncing in place with barely-contained energy. “Alright, let it out before you explode,” Runaan said. 

“You’re getting MARRIED!!!” She cheered, probably loud enough for the whole embassy to hear, “It’s today!! And he’s moving in with you across the ocean, and you have a nice house and a good job and I’m so PROUD of you, my tiny little baby brother!”

“I’m taller than you!” He protested.

Oh dear lord, she was legitimately tearing up, oh holy spirits. “I just,” she said, “Runaan, you know I always support you and I’m proud of you, but I was so SCARED when you decided to move to America.” She wiped her eyes carefully, trying to preserve her mascara. “You were smart of course, I knew you could handle the work, but...you were always so SHY. You never liked making friends, but it wasn’t a problem in Xadia because I was there. But then you were gone, and of course we talked, but I knew that if something happened to you, I wouldn’t be there to help and I didn’t know what to do.”

She was sniffling hard, but still smiling. Runaan felt his exterior melt a bit. Moving across the ocean away from her had been scary for him too, but he hadn’t fully appreciated how it had affected her. He put a hand on her shoulder, which she took and squeezed until it hurt. “Goodness, if this is how you got with me, how did you ever manage to send Rayla out here?”

She smiled through the tears. “Because I knew she’d have you, stupid.” 

He was stupid. He shouldn’t have asked, this was too many emotions. It was his wedding day, he was already having plenty of emotions, he couldn’t be taken down by them before the ceremony had even started. Still, with well over a decades worth of practice in keeping his face straight in front of yelling foreign dignitaries, he managed to get by with a lip wobble and a stuttered breath. 

“I don’t think I’ve thanked you enough,” Rula said, “For taking her in when you did. Part of me knows If I had pushed her enough, she would have decided to stay and go to a school in Xadia instead, but….But it was probably for the best she wasn’t around. For a while.” She sat down, the admission taking something out of her. 

Runaan sat across from his sister, not having the words. Fuck, Takaan needed to be here, he’d know what to say. Not long before Rayla had moved, both Rula and her husband had lost their jobs. They kept a good face for Rayla, but even she must have picked up on the fact that the loss had put a strain on their marriage. 

Runaan knew he had to say something, though, even if it wasn’t right. “I was happy to do it,” he said, “Rayla’s a wonderful girl, and it’s actually been….good having her around.”

He caught her smirking. “Oh I know,” she said, “That friend of yours, Harrow, is quite the character.”

Runaan groaned and rolled his eyes, “He is...fine,” Runaan said, “A little too cheerful at times, but he can be serious when the occasion calls for it.”

“Too cheerful?” Rula said, “Runaan, I hate to be the one to tell you, but you’re getting married to sunshine incarnate.” 

That actually got Runaan to chuckle, “Yeah, well. I guess cheerful’s not ALL bad. Situation depending.”

Rula chuckled, “Besides, I know the real reason you dragged both your family AND Takaan’s all the way across the ocean instead of just coming back to Xadia to be married.”

Runaan frowned, “Because I….live here?”

“Please,” she said, “We both know you could have had the time off. But then Rayla wouldn’t have been able to come with her school schedule.”

Oops, he’d been caught. “I mean. That was...a factor, I suppose, but with preparations and everything, it really did just make sense.”

“Uh-huh,” she said, not buying it for a minute, “You know, she thinks of you like a third parent.”

Runaan couldn’t have fought the smile on his face. “I would never try to replace you or her father.”

“And you haven’t,” She said, “But it’s always good to have a child have more love instead of less.”

At that moment, the girl in question opened the door. “They’re ready to start,” Rayla said, in her tux-dress. 

Runaan stood, straightening himself out, “Then let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> requests and prompts are also helpful, can't guarantee I'll do them, but I like to listen to them anyway.


	51. Traditional Ceremony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Runaan and the Tinker get married, and Harrow's family gets to watch.

Ezran was practically bouncing out of the car when they reached the embassy. “Slow down, buddy,” Harrow said, “you don’t want to ruin your nice suit.”

Ezran slowed down, but whined. They had all been stressed with the whole Viren vs. Harrow situation, and were looking forward to a nice wedding to take their minds off things. 

Callum followed their lead, looking at his phone. Claudia has been ignoring all of his texts. He wasn’t sure what to do. Harrow put a hand on his shoulder, looking sad. “Come on,” He said, “let’s have fun. Rayla said she had a big part of this ceremony, right?”

“Yeah,” Callum said, putting his phone in his pocket. “She said it was kinda like a best man? But not exactly.”

“Huh,” Harrow said, “well, I’m excited to learn more about the culture.”

“Uh, guys,” Ezran said from the door, “I think we missed a memo.”

Confused, Harrow and Callum followed him to the door labeled Takaan and Runaan wedding. As they looked in, they instantly saw the problem. Everyone inside seemed to be wearing robes, fancy decorative robes. The three Americans stood out like a sore thumb.

“You’re fine,” a voice said behind them. They turned to see Raynoor, Rayla’s father. He smiled at them in his own silvery purple robe, “the robes are traditional, but western suits and slacks are perfectly acceptable. You’ll see a few more later, come on.”

He guided them inside, and they managed to get a better look around the place. The room was covered in potted plants to the point it looked like an indoor forest. The walls were decorated to look like the sky, covered in stylized suns and moons. Along the walls were tables and tables full of food, into a full meal. One thing there wasn’t was any form of chairs. 

“You guys want pillows?” Raynoor asked, picking up a couple of wide floor pillows from a pile. “They’re not as traditional either, but foreigners tend to like them. You will have to stand for the ceremony itself, but it’s better than the hardwood.” 

They took the pillows gratefully, and Raynoor led him into a circle. “With a lot of people, the circles will have to double up, sometimes even forming patterns and such,” he told them, taking a seat beside them, “Runaan and Takaan didn’t invite that many people though.” 

The other guests started to form a circle around them. “Which way does the officiant stand?” Callum asked, looking and noting that no matter where they would be, they’d face away from someone. 

“Xadian weddings don’t have the same type of officiants as other countries,” Raynoor told him. “Instead of a religious figure or ships captain or whatever, instead the Frater is chosen from each family, and they’ll perform the ceremony.”

“Frater?” Ezran asked, “Like a ship frater, or--”

Wind chimes started, or so they thought. Looking, they noted a man on an instrument like a Xylophone (maybe a glockenspiel?) playing music, and everyone quieted down. Anyone who wasn’t in the circle already made their way over. 

The doors opened on either side and three figures came forward on each side, one side in golden robes, the other in silver. They recognized Rayla’s mother Rula, and Rayla herself in silver robes. Rayla came through last, holding a long silver ribbon. She smiled and winked at Callum and Ezran as she passed.

“Are the sun and moon imagery traditional as well?” Harrow whispered over to Raynoor. As he did, Rayla approached her double, who was holding a golden ribbon. They exchanged the ends of the ribbon, creating a pair of lines.

Raynoor smirked, “no. That’s just a Runaan and Takaan thing. The sun and moon, dancing together in the sky.”

At that, the doors opened again, and Takaan and Runaan entered at the same time. Takaan was dressed in robes of rustic red with golden accents. Runaan’s robes were a bit more subtle with light purples and pinks, his long hair pulled back in an elegant plait. They both held bouquets of berry sprigs instead of flowers.

Takaan was practically jittering as he stepped forward. Runaan was staring across the circle and seemed to forget how to move. 

The musician started the entrance tune up again to remind him to move forward. He jerked, stepping forward as he was supposed to. The circle chuckled at his dazed state. 

The circle closed around them, and the couple stood across from each other, Rayla and Takaan’s ‘Frater’ beside them, holding the ribbons outstretched. Takaan and Runaan held their hands above the ribbons. 

Takaan’s Frater, who seemed to be his brother, spoke up. “Runaan moonshadow, do you swear to do right by my kin, to stand by him in strife and joy, in sickness and health, and keep the bonds between our family strong until the end of your days?”

“I swear it,” Runaan said, voice soft like it would break. Rayla and the Frater tied the gold ribbon around the pair’s wrists in a loose knot. 

Rayla cleared her throat, “Takaan Sunfire,” she said, “do you swear to do right by my kin, to stand by him in strife and joy, in sickness and health, and keep the bonds between our family strong until the end of your days?”

“Yes please,” Takaan said, which didn’t seem like the traditional response, but Rayla accepted it, and they tied their hands together with the silver ribbon. 

Rayla’s mother, Rula, came up with a goblet of some liquid. “Moonberry juice,” Raynoor whispered to the Americans. Takaan took it, while Runaan took one from a gold-robed figure, both of them drinking with their hands tied together. The third figure stepped up, offering rings, which they put on each other’s hands. 

“Rayla Moonshadow,” the Frater said, “We accept your kin into our family.”

“Tareen Sunfire,” Rayla said, “We accept your kin into our family.”

Together the two cut the ribbons, and started to say “We now pronounce you marrie--” but didn’t get it all out before Takaan had launched himself at Runaan, kissing him square on the lips. 

The circle clapped and laughed. “What happens now?” Callum asked. 

“Now,” Raynoor said, “We show you Americans how the Xadians party!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear I will at some point edit the timeline link. I am so sorry.


	52. Problems at home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callum babysits for his half-sister, Etara, in an effort to avoid the conflict between Harrow and Viren at home.

“And THIS one is Darth Vader, he’s the daddy, and this is Anakin, he’s the other daddy, and this is their kids, Superman, wonderwoman, and their baby brother Batman.”

Etara set out her action figures (dollies) for Callum to see. Callum smiled, looking them over, “they seem like a nice happy family.”

“They seem so, on the outside,” Etara said, raising her eyebrows dramatically. Callum gasped, as he assumed that was the proper response, though inside he felt a bit on edge.

Etara leaned in, putting her hand between the doll family and Callum, “secretly, Batman’s been stealing all the gummies.”

Callum gasped again, “oh no!” He said. Internally he was relieved that stolen gummies were the most drama Etara could think of.

Etara was older than Callum was when his mother died. He had felt so grown up then, having to step up to be Ezran’s older brother. Looking at her though, she seemed so...young. So small and fragile.

To be honest, he felt younger and smaller now than he had when he was her age.

The front door opened and Torias and Kalor stepped in. “Papa! Daddy!” Etara cried. She leaped up, a bundle of curls and bowled into them.

“Oh-ho, hey!” Kalor said, groaning as he lifted her up, “phew! You keep getting bigger. When are you gonna cut that out?”

“Never!” She giggled. Callum smiled, watching the happy family. He felt a pang go through him, sitting back.

“Alright,” Torias interrupted, “Etara, why don’t you clean up your toys and get ready for dinner? I’m sure Callum needs to get home for his own dinner.”

“Awwww,” Etara whined, “can’t Callum eat with us? He’s family, he should be here for family dinner.”

Torias and Kalor exchanges awkward glances, “well,” Kalor said, “I’m sure his dad and his brother would miss him, so—“

“I can call him,” Callum said, surprising even himself. The eyes turned on him. “I mean, to see if it’s alright. So I could stay.”

Kalor looked a little too knowing. “Etara, why don’t you and Daddy go put your toys away upstairs, and we’ll figure the dinner situation out.”

Etara was reluctant, but picked up her toys as Torias escorted her to her room. Callum felt oddly like he was in trouble as Kalor came and sat on the floor in front of him. He didn’t manage to look him in the eyes. “Harrow mentioned the situation with Viren was making things tense,” he said.

Callum flinched. “He’s trying,” He said, “he does what he can to make things normal and stuff. But he...it’s…”

“It’s not normal,” Kalor filled in for him. “He can try, and you can try, and everyone can try all they want. It’s not normal and it probably isn’t going to be, not for a while if ever.”

Callum shrank. He knew he was right, but he didn’t want to hear it. “I hadn’t realized...how entwined our families were. I mean, we were close, especially after mom…” his voice left him at the word.

Kalor stiffened at it too. “You know, when I first met you, all I could see for a while was your mom,” he said, “you look...so much like her. I can see her in your laugh, your frown…” he swallowed, but the more I get to know you, the more you remind me of me.”

Callum looked up, not sure how he was supposed to take that. “I hate conflict,” Kalor said, “I cannot stand it, and that’s gotten me walked over a good portion of my life. Usually by my...by your grandmother.” 

Callum swallowed. It was weird enough thinking of the man in front of him as his father, let alone that he had a whole other family tree out there. A tree that, it turned out, didn’t want him to exist. “What did you do?”

He smiled, lost down memory lane. “Sarai was the start of it,” he said, “it was strange having someone by my side there to tell me how unfairly I was being treated. I still let them treat me that way, for way too long, but I couldn’t just ignore it anymore.” He turned back to Callum. “You can’t just ignore it either. You can’t bury your head in the sand and wait for it to go away.”

Callus’s heart sunk. “Claudia won’t even talk to me anymore,” he said, “and Sorens gone and Dad’s miserable, and I just. I don’t know what to do.”

“You have to find your new normal,” Kalor said, “and it’s not going to have everything you want in it, but if you give it time, it could be happy.” Callum took a heavy sigh, knowing he was right. “And you can start with going to your family dinner.”

Callum groaned. He didn’t know if he was ready to deal with that. But, he couldn’t put it off forever. “Come on,” Kalor said, “I’ll drive ya home.”

Kalor got up, and Callum accepted his help to stand. He made sure to get a goodbye hug from Etara, and a handshake from Torias, before he went out to the car to face the music.


	53. The west wing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezran handles the issues of the day as his elementary school president.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is meant to be a parody of Aaron Sorkin’s the west wing, but you don’t need to know it to read this

Ezran took a deep breath before stepping through the front doors of Banther Elementary. Another day…

As the doors opened he was swarmed, Ellis and the start secretary, Julian, instantly flanking him with papers in their hands. “What have we got today, guys?”

“The lil stompers club is asking to go before the orchestra’s performance at the pep rally on Tuesday.” Ellis said, her loyal service dog Ava trotting beside her.

Ezran frowned, “I thought we already finalized the rally schedule.”

“They say it should be switched up ‘cause orchestra’s just rehashing their fall concert music,” Ellis said, “they don’t want everyone to be bored by the time they go on.”

“Eek, harsh,” Ezran said, “let’s tell them that unfortunately the schedule is finalized, but we’ll get them a special for the graduation ceremony.”

“We’re running out of room at the ceremony,” Ellis reminded him, writing that down as she walked.

“We haven’t run out yet. Julian,” Ezran said, pulling him forward, “how’s that lunchroom policy looking?”

“We’ve got 2nd and 5th grade in the bag,” Julian said, “the 3rd and 4th graders seem to be holding out until they see what the other one does. And who can get 1st and kindergartners to do anything?”

“Ugh,” Ezran sighed, “we need a unified front if we’re going to get the school board to listen to us and invest in better lunches. Let’s reach out to Del Bar and Neolandia elementary, see if they’ll commit any forces.”

“President Katolis,” a student he recognized as Mary Peterson rushed up, pigtails flying as she held out her notebooks, “care to make a statement on the suspension of Nate Greerson?”

Ellis shoved a paper in front of him, and he read off, “we at the sga are saddened that the authorities were forced to separate mr. Greerson from his peers, however, we are hopeful that he has learned his lesson and will return with an attitude of respect towards his fellow students and this fine institution.”

Mary wrote furiously, “any indication this could be a first step to expulsion?”

“I’ll leave that to the principals office. But off the record?” Ezran waited for her to put down the notebook, “I doubt you’ll get anything from them.”

Mary nodded, “might as well try,” she said and made her way to the main office.

Ezran continued, waiting until she was out of earshot. “We’re hoping for him to learn his lesson?”

Ellis looked awkward, “Jules and I thought it was important to show our faith in the disciplinary system.”

“I just hope he’s still gone for the rally.” Ezran put an arm over both his friends shoulders, “remember guys, our focus for the week is school lunches. Every statement from now on needs to tie back to it, alright?” They both nodded, “someone asks about classroom parties, what do we talk about?”

“School lunches,” Julian said.

“Recess issues, what do we talk about?”

“School lunches.” Ellis said with a salute.

“Right,” Ezran nodded, “I need the schools support on this, I can’t be sidetracked on things like Nate freaking Greerson.”

“We need to talk about Nate Greerson.”

Ezran yelped as he stepped into his homeroom, Aanya standing there way too close for comfort. “Ah, Aanya,” He said, composing himself, “what have I done wrong today.”

“Nate is a bully and everyone knows it,” she said, steamrolling right over him “we also know he’s probably at home treating this suspension as a vacation, and certainly isn’t learning his lesson.”

Ezran swallowed, “Jules and I thought it was best to show faith in our school’s disciplinary system.”

“The disciplinary system is a joke.” She said, words flying out of her mouth, “it’s designed to keep the kids the teachers don’t want to deal with out of their hair, but the second Nate’s back on campus things are going to go back to the way they were.”

“What do you want me to do?” Ezran said, exasperated. Aanya had a special way of making him feel dumb, “have the safety patrol lock him up?”

Julian snorted, earning him a glare from Aanya. She took a deep breath. “We need to revamp our detention system,” she said, “we’re not in pre-school, time out doesn’t do anything. “We need to work on a system of teaching kids why it’s wrong. We also need better outlets for kids to go to people about if they’re being bullied but too scared to say, and more importantly being up problems at home.”

Ezran sighed, “the staff isn’t going to like that. They’re already overworked, I don’t know if they can support a program like that.”

“I think the sga should run it,” she said, “my aunt runs programs on how to teach kids about how they should be treated, strategies more than ‘tell an adult.’ She can come down and talk to the whole school.”

“When?” Ellis said, but Ezran had already figured her out. 

He sat down, “the Tuesday pep rally.”

Aanya nodded. Ellis and Julian looked at each other, the news sinking in. “We’d have to cancel all the events,” Ellis said, “orchestra, the dancers...everything.”

“Our numbers would tank,” Julian added. “You can forget about support for school lunches.”

“This is about more than school lunches,” Aanya said, “we’re in one of the most impressionable stages of our lives. We’re learning more than just math and science, but how to interact with other people. We can’t let teachers divide us into those who don’t bother them, and those they can’t be bothered with. We need to learn how to stand together, how to support each other, to solve our own problems,” she looked to Ezran, “we’re going to middle school next year, and leaving elementary behind. We have a chance to set up a system now that kids can continue long after we’re gone. The school board is just going to wait until we graduate and then go right back to the cheap lunches. This is something WE can do.”

Ezran stared at her, thinking. He could feel his friends waiting on his decision. “Ellis,” he finally said, “give as many of the acts as we can slots at graduation. Try to tell them they’ll have a bigger audience anyway.”

“What about the lunches?” Julian asked.

Ezran sighed, “once we know how to deal with bullies, we’ll use that to stand up to the school board,” he said, “I’m not giving up on it.” He flashed Aanya a smile, “all in this together, right?”

Aanya rolled her eyes, “that movie’s so old.”

“It’s a classic!” Ezran said, “alright, you’re gonna be our coordinator with this. Bring it to the principal, tell him it has my approval. Julian, I still want that meeting with Del Bar and Neolandia. Let’s get to work!”


	54. Adjustment Period

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harrow tries to run his law practice without Viren, but runs into unexpected challenges.

Harrow was drowning. He had started filling out paperwork in his sleep, and woke up to find them still undone. 

He wished he was one of those people who needed work as a distraction from his problems. But he wasn’t. He’d rather distract himself with something fun and mindless, binging a tv show or playing a board game with his kids. 

It didn’t help that the paperwork itself was only serving to remind him of his problems. Viren had always managed the nitty gritty work. The business contracts, talking to judges and other lawyers and arranging clients. Harrow was more of a big picture guy, wanting to deal with law research, looking at precedent, crafting a case together to help his client. It was an art form in its own way. 

Viren had always done both. While Harrow was better at dealing with clients, Viren was an excellent researcher, and certainly more willing to deal with the more...difficult clients. 

Now Harrow was dealing with it all while also mourning the loss of a friendship….a friendship that suddenly felt like a betrayal. 

Harrow frowned, shaking his head of the thoughts and focusing on the work. Viren hadn’t been doing all this work Harrow was doing. He’d cut corners, he’d waved away his morals just because everyone else in the system was doing it, but how would that change if they kept doing it and--

Harrow took a deep breath. He was spiralling. With all that was happening he had started going to a therapist, though how long he could afford that he wasn’t sure. As a lawyer, he’d gotten used to a comfortable lifestyle, sending his children to private school, giving to charities as he pleased, buying toys and treats both for himself and those around them. But with things the way they were since Viren left, clients were dropping, judges wouldn’t call him back, and the money was...slipping. 

For now, he was fine though, he reminded himself as he took deep breaths. He was fine, this was an adjustment period. Once he figured out what he was doing, it would be fine. 

Opeli came in with another pile of papers, and he had to surpress his groan. Opeli was a godsend, honestly. He had no idea how he’d have handled all this without her. She was smart and been a buoy in the proverbial ocean. He asked her what she knew about Viren’s claims of, well, improper law practices. 

She had been just as shocked as he was, and dedicated herself to keeping the business afloat. 

Which is why it was surprising to find a particular piece of mail buried in with everything else. “Opeli?” he said, after staring at it for far too long trying to figure out what it was, “What’s this?”

Opeli snatched the letter out of his hands the moment she laid her eyes on it. She dropped it in the waste basket and continued with her work, “Don’t worry about it, it’s nothing.”

Harrow may have been sleep deprived, but he wasn’t stupid. He got up and grabbed the paper back from the basket before Opeli could remove it. “It’s not nothing,” he said, “This is an acceptance letter to Pentarch Law School.”

Opeli tried to snatch it back again, but Harrow was quicker this time. “Like I said, it’s nothing.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were applying to Law School?” Harrow asked, “You know I would have helped you. I didn’t even know you’d taken the LSATs.”

Opeli stared him down, mouth a thin line. “It’s. Nothing. There’s too much going on right now, I don’t have time for school.”

Harrow’s heart sank, and he sat in front of her. “You know I’d help you. With whatever you needed to get through this, including time off.”

“And what, leave you alone here?” Opeli said, “Mr. Katolis, this is fine, I got in once I’ll get in again, once things have settled.”

Harrow bit his lip. “Opeli, I don’t know if things are going to settle,” he said, honest with himself and her, “At least not to the way things were before. I don’t know what things are going to look like….but I’m not having you put your dreams on hold for me.”

Opeli sighed, “‘Dreams’ are a little more poetic than what I was thinking, Mr. Katolis.”

“Stop that,” he said, “I’m Harrow. You’ve been working for me for more than 10 years, it’s….it’s time for you to move on, I think.”

Opeli’s face fell, as she opened her mouth to argue with him more. He handed her the acceptance letter. “Invite me to your graduation,” he said, “Who knows. Maybe I’ll still be looking for a partner when you graduate.”

Reluctantly, she held the letter in her hands. “I’m not a fan of change,” she said, and he could just barely detect the hint of tears in her eyes. He’d never seen her cry. 

Harrow smirked, tears coming quite easily to his own eyes. “I know,” he said, “But it is important.” He gave her a congratulatory hug, having no idea what he was going to do.


	55. The Send Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rayla, Callum, and Ezran come to see Soren before he leaves for military training, but Viren's new political aspirations have other ideas.

Callum felt a sense of dread as he stepped out of the car. “Are you sure you don’t want to come too, Dad?” Ezran asked as he joined him, “I’m sure Soren would be happy to see you! And...maybe you could talk to Viren?”

Harrow smiled sadly, “I don’t think that’s the best idea right now,” he said, diplomatically, “This is about Soren, I don’t want...anything else to distract from that.”

Ezran didn’t seem convinced, but Callum put his arm around his shoulders to pull him into the airport. 

Rayla had been the one to tell them that today was Soren’s send off, heading to military training. They had passed Claudia in the hallway, but she didn’t talk to them. It wasn’t aggressive or mean, just avoiding. 

Rayla herself had been spending most of her time with Callum. It wasn’t bad, Claudia had other friends, it wasn’t like leaving her alone. But Callum caught Rayla on her phone, texting someone mysterious. 

Callum himself wasn’t sure if they were invited, really, but Rayla assured them she had run this by Soren, and they knew they were coming to say goodbye to their friend. Callum didn’t know if he believed her. 

Still, he supposed they’d find out. He saw Rayla standing inside. “Hey!” he said, trying to stay positive. He wasn’t sure how to treat all of this, “Any sign of them?”

“Nope,” Rayla said, “They should be on their way, though.”

“We got Soren a book!” Ezran said.

“A poetry book,” Callum clarified at Rayla’s raised eyebrows. “Ya know, so he can be a real poet warrior.” They hadn’t played D&D all together in ages, but Soren’s poet warrior was infamous.

Rayla smirked, “That sounds nice. I didn’t think to get him a gift, you think he’ll care?”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Callum said, “Worst case scenario, you can head to the gift shop here and--”

Callum was distracted, turning as he saw the flash of cameras. They were at Reagan National airport, so that wasn’t completely unexpected, diplomats and whatnot came through here a bunch. Still, it caught his attention….and kept it as he saw who was at the center of the camera flashes. 

Viren was walking down the hall, his children on either side of him, Soren already dressed up in his fatigues. There was someone behind the camera with a microphone, who was tossing questions at Viren, that he answered smoothly. 

“...Trust me, Helen, I’d love to explain to you more about my law enforcement policy, but first let me send my only son off to enforce law across the world.” 

The group passed right by where Rayla, Callum, and Ezran, practically without acknowledging them at all. Practically, because Callum caught Claudia’s eye as she passed, but just like with school, she went straight into ignoring him. 

They reached the security line, and Viren faced Soren. “I’m so proud of you,” he said, hands on his shoulders. 

“Aw, Dad,” Soren said, hunching his shoulders. He looked a little uncomfortable based on the way his eyes kept darting at the cameras. 

“No, I mean it,” Viren said, “You’re going to do great things. Just keep your head on your shoulders, and work hard. I know you can do it.”

Soren nodded. “Ok.”

Viren stepped back, and Claudia wrapped Soren up in a hug that seemed a bit more natural, at least until it brought on another flash of cameras. They saw her whisper something to him, but couldn’t read his reaction.

A hand landed on Callum’s shoulder and he gasped. He looked up and saw the smiling face of his school counselor, Aaravos. He had heard he was working for Viren now. “Hello kids,” he said to them, “How are you doing today?”

The three of them shuffled awkwardly, “We uh,” Callum said, “We just came to see off Soren. Give him a gift.”

Ezran held up the wrapped book. Aaravos took it out of his hands before he could take it back. “I’ll be sure it gets to him, but he seems to be a bit busy right now,” He smiled, “Why don’t you three head on out. I’ll be sure to relay your good wishes to Soren.”

Not knowing what else to do, Callum, Rayla, and Ezran found themselves wandering away. Callum swallowed, “I’m gonna call my dad,” he said.


	56. The Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harrow is furious that his kids have been dragged into his feud with Viren, and decides to confront him once again.

Harrow was seething all afternoon. He’d just brought Callum and Ezran home earlier that day. They were supposed to have been seeing off their friend, but it all went haywire. 

He’d been checking out the window every few minutes. Claudia had gotten home a bit ago, dropped off by a strange car. He had been tempted to go over and invite her over, but he didn’t really know what her part to play in all this was. The over-protective part of himself was annoyed she’d been avoiding his own kids. But then another remembered holding her in his arms after she’d been born and babysitting her, and being thoroughly enchanted at the daughter he never had himself. 

It was late in the evening when Viren’s car finally pulled into the driveway. Harrow didn’t waste a moment, jumping out the front door and marching his way over. “What the HELL, Viren?”

Viren himself jumped in surprise at seeing Harrow come at him, “What have I done THIS time?” 

“I’ve had trouble coming to terms with you and your bullshit,” Harrow said, “But using your own son for a publicity stunt? I can’t believe it, even from you.”

“The cameras were a surprise,” Viren said, “But I’m not about to just turn them away!”

“And why not?!” Harrow said.

“Because if I’m going to be a public figure, the public face, then I need to actually be friendly to people, you idiot!” Viren said, “No matter the circumstances. And they didn’t interrupt anything, they didn’t do anything but take a few photos. I asked Claudia and Soren and they were fine with it and…” He scoffed and shook his head, “Look at me, I’m still trying to justify myself to you,” he said, “go home, I don’t owe you anything.”

“And what about my kids?” Harrow said, “I’ve been trying so hard to make this whole shitty situation for them easier, and not have our conflict get in between them. And you’re, what, having your new friend sending them away? Did you tell Claudia to stay away from them?”

“Of course I didn’t,” Viren said, “And what do you mean, sending them away?”

“They were at the airport today,” Harrow said, “And you’re charming best friend Aaravos told them to leave.”

Viren sat for a moment, absorbing the words, “I’m sure he had his reasons.” Harrow scoffed, “And he’s not my friend! He’s a political expert, he’s helping me-”

“He’s USING you!” Harrow shouted, 

“THE WAY YOU USED ME?!” Viren yelled at him.

Harrow took a step back. He looked up at Viren’s house, where Claudia quickly pulled the curtains tight, pretending she wasn’t listening. He turned around, where Callum and Ezran were doing the same. 

“Is that what you think?” he said, trying to keep his voice down, “Two decades of friendship. Both our weddings, and kids, and family vacations and divorces and funerals and….and you think I was just using you?”

Viren swallowed, “We were friends since law school,” he said, “But you were always the one with the ideals, with the great platitudes, and I was the one who had to get it done, no matter how impossible.” he backed up his own step, “Now it’s my turn. Now I’m going to do what I want to do.”

Harrow scoffed, “I’m supposed to believe these policies are what you want,” he said, “Your law enforcement plan is machiavellian, your economic plan is going to hurt the most vulnerable, your climate change plan is a bandaid over a bullethole--”

“If you don’t like it,” Viren said, “Vote for someone else.”

Harrow narrowed his eyes at him. “Or maybe I’ll do you one better,” he said, before storming back to his house. 

It was two weeks later before Viren understood what he meant. He walked into Aaravos’ office that they’d been using for a political base, when Aaravos spun his computer around. “We have new competition.

Viren’s frown deepened as he read the headline on the article pulled up. ‘Local Private Practice Defender Harrow Katolis, joins race for State Senate.”


	57. Slow Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viren and Harrow were thrown together in law school, neither of them particularly happy about it.

“...Group Project,” The professor said, gaining the groans of half the class, “Cry me a river. As a lawyer, you’ll be expected to work with various people, most of whom you’ll hate so that you can defend your clients, and they will not care that your coworker has an annoying voice or smells weird. They will expect you to do your damn jobs.” He pulled a list out and tacked it to the cork board, “The partners are here. I suggest you get started as soon as possible.”

Viren was conveniently sitting near the front of the class, so he was one of the first to reach the corkboard. He found his name quickly, then turned, scanning the faces behind him. He knew most of them by name, though had hardly spoken to them. “Harrow Katolis, right?” he said to the boy a bit further back.

Harrow raised an eyebrow at him, “Yeah?”

Viren smiled in a way he hoped was friendly. He wasn’t very good at friendly. “Looks like we’re partners!” he said. 

Harrow frowned, as the corkboard cleared a bit, people pairing off. He looked at the corkboard to confirm, which Viren wondered if he should take as an insult. “...Huh,” he said.

“You want to meet in the library tonight?” Viren said, “we can start divying up the duties and what not.”

“I’m actually busy tonight,” Harrow said, and Viren’s face fell, “But I can meet tomorrow afternoon if you want.”

Viren smiled, “Sure, that sounds good.”

Harrow wandered off, and Viren let his friendly demeanor drop. God, this was hard.

Harrow was in a few of Viren’s classes, and he knew the student was well liked and popular. Viren watched at a distance as he laughed easily with others, always having a friendly word. 

Viren wasn’t good at that. Viren was a nerd, and was in most generous terms ‘introverted.’ One of his professors called him ‘cold and condescending,’ which Viren thought was rich. But the professor was right in that being a lawyer, like most jobs, depended on networking. With Viren’s family, he had a good step up, but that would only get him so far if no one wanted to work with him. 

He wasn’t too big to admit he was jealous of Harrow’s easy-going demeanor. But more than that, he was annoyed the demeanor didn’t extend to him. Harrow was at best civil of Viren, more often dismissive. 

The annoyance developed into full anger when Viren saw Harrow had in fact blown him off to hang out with his friends.

“Hey!” he said, letting his anger lead him, “What the hell? I thought you said you had something important to do! And here you are, just, blowing me off?” 

Harrow waved his friends off and stared Viren down. “Am I behind in my work?” He asked, face set.

Viren opened his mouth, but quickly closed it. “No,” he admitted.

“Then why the hell are you breathing down my neck?” he demanded, “I’ve actually heard of you, Viren Dark, and your family. Some of us don’t have fancy parents to get us into law school for us, so we have to work hard, and deserve a chance to blow off some steam. So I really don’t need you breathing down my neck!” 

Viren took a step back. “I just want to get this project done, so you don’t have to deal with me anymore.”

“Why don’t you take a break too? Jeez, just calm down, go out with drinks with friends or something.”

Viren blinked. Before he knew what he was saying he said, “I don’t have any friends.”

Harrow stared him down for a long moment, trying to figure out what his game was. Viren instantly regretted saying that. 

Harrow sighed, “Come on,” he said, “Get a drink with me and my friends. Stop worrying about the project for just a few hours, and in the morning, we’ll work on it more, ok?”

Viren swallowed, unsure now what Harrow really wanted from him. But staring him in the eyes, he had that same genuine face he used with other friends. And Viren somehow knew he could trust him, this wasn’t a game, this was just….Harrow. 

And just like that, Viren had his first friend.


	58. Pride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kids all go to their local pride festival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "but laura, pride month was ages ago--" PRIDE IS 24/7!!!
> 
> Also I went to a local pride festival this past weekend so :p

Soren jumped onto the hood of Harrow’s mini-van, “MY SISTER IS BISEXUAL AND I AM SO PROUD OF HER!!!”

“That’s very nice,” Harrow said, “But get down from there! You’re going to scratch the paint!”

Claudia and Viren snorted in sync from their place at the door, watching them. Claudia was decked out in everything pink, purple, and blue she could find, and holding her own flag. She may have gotten over-excited in the accessorizing department, but her dad was willing to pay for all of it. “Are you sure you don’t want to come?” she asked quietly. She knew her father was a private man, so hadn’t been overly surprised that he didn’t want to go to the out, loud, and proud festival, but she couldn’t deny being a little disappointed. “I got an extra flag,” she said, holding up the little bi flag. 

Viren smiled, a little warm and a little sad. “Maybe next year,” he said, “I don’t think I’m...quite ready yet.”

“You don’t have to be out,” she said, “You could stay in the closet and come as just an ally.”

He patted her back, “Unfortunately, I have some things to do. Going to take advantage of the house being quiet.” Claudia scoffed. “You do know I am proud of you, though, right?”

Claudia smiled, “I know,” and she gave him a big hug. Viren was never big on hugs, but would accept them in small doses. 

“Come on!” Harrow called to her, as Callum and Ezran loaded up, Soren in the front seat, “We’re going to meet Runaan and Rayla there.”

“Another reason not to go,” Viren mumbled, but went back inside. Claudia chuckled, shaking her head. She’d get her dad to pride yet. 

For now, she jumped into the mini-van, and they were off. 

It was easy to see their destination as they neared, the park covered in rainbows and bright colors and loud music. The kids all smiled at the ray of positivity. 

Rayla ran up, meeting them at the vendor gate, her own pansexual flag tucked into her shirt like a cape. “Hey guys!!!” she said, getting security to open for them as she held out wristbands, “Come on! The Xadian embassy’s got their own tent this year, I thought we could use it as a home base.”

“Excellent thinking, Rayla!” Harrow said, smiling. They followed her to a tent with a large Xadian flag on it (a dragon head silhouette) on a rainbow background instead of the typical 6-split symbols. 

Runaan was standing in the tent, slightly more lax than normal with a rainbow tie. He stood next to a display of flags, educational pamphlets on things Xadia was doing for international lgbt issues, and some rubber bracelets. He seemed to be trying to push the pamphlets on people to actually discuss things, though most people seemed more interested in the free stuff. 

“Uncle Runaan!” Rayla said, “They’re here!” She was skipping and seemed to be running on the energy of the festival. 

“Ah,” Runaan said, looking up, “Pamphlet?” He shoved at Callum.

Callum jerked, but took one hesitantly. “Wow,” he said, “Xadian’s have had legal same-sex marriages since 1994?”

“The first country to make it official,” Runaan said, proud of his heritage, “It’s not all perfect, of course.”

“You don’t need to justify yourself to us, Runaan,” Harrow said, “We’re Americans.”

Soren had taken to dancing in the walkways, trying to encourage Rayla and Claudia to join him. Callum was looking around, a little overwhelmed by all the bright colors and phrases, not all of which he understood. 

“What’s this flag?” Ezran asked.

“That’s the original Gilbert Baker pride flag,” Runaan explained curtly, pulling the flag back.

“And this one?” he said, grabbing another.

“The pink and orange lesbian flag.” Runaan said, trying to stop the small boy touching everything. 

“And this one?”

“That’s the asexuality flag.” Runaan said, taking the whole jar of flags and putting it on a stand out of reach. 

“What’s asexuality?” Ezran asked, and Callum’s ears perked. He didn’t know either. 

“The lack of sexual attraction to any sex,” Runaan said, “It’s more of an umbrella term though. Don’t you have the internet to look this kind of stuff up?”

Callum frowned, “That’s a thing?” he asked, before he could think better of it.

Runaan looked up, silently trying to figure him out. “Yes,” he said, judiciously, “Like I said, why don’t you look it up?”

Callum didn’t really know why, but he found himself doing just that. He had never thought of himself as being a sexuality other than straight. He had crushes on girls (long painful crushes) but sex….he never pictured himself. He just thought he was too young. 

He wasn’t ready to claim it yet, but he wondered if this asexuality thing might fit him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These are my personal headcanons for the folks' sexualities, but they're not set in stone or anything. I myself am asexual, and I've already been using this fic to project all over poor Callum, why stop now? 
> 
> There were so many ace flags at the festival it made my heart sing ^_^


	59. Magic Duel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callum is done with Claudia's aloofness, and is ready to take her down.

Callum was angry. 

Callum was NEVER angry, that was one of his trademark characteristics. He could be annoyed, and irritated, usually with himself, sometimes with his friends. It wasn’t that he was naturally calm or whatever, it was just usually in the moment he was too shocked to remember to be angry. 

Usually, if there was something worth getting angry about, he would be angry about it later, in the privacy of his own home. This would give him time to cool down before he saw the person he was angry at again, and able to come up with a solution.

But Callum’s anger in this case had been stewing for weeks. Soren was gone, and he hadn’t even been able to see him off. Claudia wasn’t talking to him. He and Claudia had been friends since they were small, and now she was barely LOOKING at him.

He had tried everything. He’d tried to reach out, to see where they stood. He tried giving her space. He tried pretending nothing had even happened. He almost wished Claudia would yell and scream and be mad at him, just so he knew where they stood, but the silent treatment was more than he could bare.

And now, here she was, in the lunch room, sitting all alone. 

What was she playing at? She had other friends. Was this some kind of trick?

“Callum, come on,” Rayla said, pulling at his arm and trying to steer him to one of the other open tables, “Leave her be, it’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine. Nothing was fine. His dad wasn’t fine, his brother wasn’t fine, their family and their friendship weren’t fine, and all of it...it just made him so ANGRY.

He pulled out of Rayla’s grip and stormed up to Claudia’s table, making her look up from her book. “I challenge you to a duel,” he said, with no preamble. 

Claudia blinked at him. “Are you serious?” she hissed, “Callum, I TAUGHT you magic. You can’t just--”

“I can and I will,” he said, sitting across from her, reaching in his bag for his materials. “Get your magic, I know you have it.”

Claudia sighed, exchanging a look with Rayla. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

They both took out their binders and lay them out, choosing their deck of magic the gathering cards to use. Claudia had helped him build his deck. It had taken ages, and he was very proud of it. Still, he had never beat Claudia in a duel. 

Claudia’s deck was mostly black death cards, and she wasn’t holding back. From her very first card, it was clear she was going for a quick victory.

Callum’s deck was mostly blue, for intellect...and deceit. He played more of a long game, never striking at Claudia, just...countering her. “You’re playing too defensive,” Claudia informed him, playing another heavy hitter. 

Already, Callum was running lower than he’d like on life. Still, he didn’t strike, just used some healing to help revive himself, “You’re not focused on the big picture,” he said right back.

“Winning is the point of the game,” she snapped back, “If you don’t know that you haven’t been paying attention.”

“The point of the game,” he said, calmly, “Is to play.” He countered her again.

She narrowed her eyes, but stayed silent. He took a breath, “How’s Soren’s training going?”

“Fine,” she said, curtly.

“And your dad?” He said, “He’s been busy a lot with the campaign.”

She played another card, “Your dad’s running too, isn’t he.”

“Yeah,” he said, “Whole house is covered in campaign stuff.”

That won him just the tiniest of smiles. “Ours too,” she said, then remembered she was mad and returned to frowning. “Your running out of cards, you have to strike back if you want to win.”

“That’s not my goal,” Callum said, simply countering again.

“What is your PROBLEM?” she spat.

“I told you,” Callum said, “I just want to play. With you.” Claudia’s frown disappeared, and she looked...sad. He played his last card. “There. You win.” he said, trying to give her a smile. “This was fun.”

He packed up his cards, preparing to leave her alone like she wanted. “Wait,” she said, “Look, things are...complicated right now.”

“Don’t I know it,” Callum said.

She swallowed, “I don’t want to have to chose.”

“Then don’t,” he said, putting his card binder in his backpack. “Enjoy your book.”

“Wait,” she said again, and he did. “You….you want to play again?”

Callum smiled, and sat back down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have never once played magic the gathering, I'm so sorry.


	60. Campaign Headquarters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harrow invites people over to start his campaign.

“Come on in,” Harrow said, inviting his friends in quickly. He gave a side look over to Viren’s house, but there wasn’t any signs of life. 

“Hey Harrow,” Fareeda said, leading the small group inside. “I’m so curious as to what this is all about!”

“I’ll explain everything once everyone’s here,” Harrow said, shaking hands with Florian and Ahling as they made their way in. 

Villads came up, followed by Amaya, Gren, and Janai. “Ah! Callum! Good to see you!”

“Callum’s out today, Villads,” Callum said, “He and Ezran are out at the mall with Rayla. 

Runaan and Takaan came up next, filling out the group. “Thank you for including us, Harrow,” Takaan said. 

“Thank you for coming!” Harrow said, closing the door behind him. “Please, everyone take a seat. We’ve got a cheese and cracker platter, please dig in.” He had set out a ton of seats so everyone had a place, but the room was still incredibly cramped. “So, as you all probably heard by now, Viren is running for office.”

The room shifted uncomfortable. “I’ve worked with Aaravos,” Villads said, “Wouldn’t be my choice for a campaign partner.”

“No, me neither,” Harrow said, “Because if I were to run, I would want my campaign partner to be any one of the people in this room. Which is why I’ve asked you all here.”

The room quieted, everyone looking at each other, slowly processing what he was saying. 

Runaan stood up, taking Takaan’s hand. “We...need to go,” he said.

Takaan tried to pull him back, “Oh, come on dear, we should help our friends.”

“We are not American citizens, Takaan,” Runaan said. “And I’m a figure of a foreign embassy, I can’t be seen helping with an American campaign. Good luck, Harrow, bt we really can’t be involved.”

Takaan gave him a sympathetic smile as they headed out. “Well, that’s disappointing,” he sighed, “But at least the rest of you are American Citizens.”

“That we are,” Villads said, standing up, “But....I’m afraid I can’t be of help either. Aaravos funds the majority of our school programs, and while you have mine and Lujanne’s vote, our school can’t help with your campaign.”

Harrow clutched his head, “Of course he does,” damn you Viren, he thought, “Well, of course the school is important to me as well. Please, have some snacks before you go.”

Villads took the cheese platter, which wasn’t what Harrow meant, but didn’t bother trying to stop him. The room seemed significantly smaller somehow, even though they’d only lost 3 people. “I’ll see if I have any other snacks, shall I?” He said, about to get up to go to the kitchen.

“Actually,” Ahling said, exchanging looks with Florian and Fareeda, “Well, I don’t know any way to really say this, I can’t be much help to you either.”

“Nor us,” Fareeda said.

Harrow’s face fell, “What? Why not?”

“Aaravos’ company does business with all of us,” Florian said, “And if we were to break that he’ll buy our companies out.”

Harrow scowled, “I didn’t realize he’d taken over the town like this.”

“He’s just,” Fareeda said, “Look, it’s all just complicated, ok?” She patted his shoulder, “I’m sorry.”

All three of them left, leaving behind Amaya, Gren, and Janai. “Please tell me Aaravos doesn’t run your group secretly?”

“No,” Amaya signed, letting Gren interpret for her. Harrow knew some sign, but this was faster. “Though the Breach will ask for some kind of guarantee that you will help with our issues in the state senate if you want our endorsement.”

Harrow smiled, “I was going to support your issues anyway.”

Amaya smiled back, “Well then, let’s get to work.”


	61. Procrastination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callum is procrastinating his summer away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3 guesses why this fic is so short.

Summer break meant a lot of things to a lot of people. Claudia was forced to get a job she lost no time complaining about. Soren was preparing to go to the army and spent most of his day keeping to the phrase ‘Suns out Guns out.’ Rayla was back in Xadia for most of the break, they’d gone to visit her, and talked often, but she wasn’t around. Ezran went to summer camp, and then the adults all had jobs so they didn’t really change their routine. 

Callum, however, was too young for a job. He was too old for camp. His dad had told him to volunteer, but he didn’t want to. So he did…..well nothing. 

There were things he wanted to do, and things he needed to do. Harrow gave him some chores around the house. He could learn important skills, like how to cook. He could practice his music for when band started back up. He could do his art, he finally had the uninterrupted time to go through and make astounding pieces, unrestricted by his classes. 

The thing he HAD done, was stay in bed until noon, and then messed around on his laptop. 

He wasn’t even watching cool new movies or shows he hadn’t seen before, just rewatching old ones he’d seen a thousand times already. 

He had tried everything to make himself do things. He had made a schedule. When the schedule felt like too much pressure, he made a to-do list. Still every time he tried to make himself do something, he just….didn’t. 

He groaned, lying on his bed. Yes, it was nice being able to sleep in, but at some point he felt like he just wasn’t get anything done.

He wasn’t feeling bad or anything. Not like the numbness of depression (he knew that feeling, woop woop). Just didn’t feel like doing anything. 

Sigh.


	62. Band Camp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before school, Claudia, Rayla, and Callum have to attend band camp for marching band, and as expected, they get up to Shenanigans.

“Atten HUT!” Claudia yelled over the parking lot. The band before her stood at attention. 

Callum was miserable. He’d lathered on sunscreen, drank ample water, and had a hat and sunglasses on to stop the sun. None of that stopped how achingly HOT it was, practicing marching all morning.

This was their first practice over band camp integrating the music they’d been learning with the march steps they’d been doing. Their chalk spots were scattered all over the parking lo, directing them where to move. 

And most annoyingly he was marching alongside Rayla, who had just gotten back from Xadia. “It’s so nice out here,” She said, smiling, “It was a downpour in Xadia EVERY day. And even when it wasn’t raining, everything was all wet and nasty.”

Callum groaned. They could use some rain right now. Well, no, that would erase their chalk markings, but still, might be worth it just for some SHADE. 

“EYES FRONT!” Claudia yelled out. As their drum major, it was part of her job to direct and conduct the band, but it made Callum wonder if Soren was giving her tips on how to be a drill sergeant. Well, Soren wasn’t even in the army yet, but still. “Starting from second song!”

Callum sighed. The first song of their performance ended in the whole band in one huge line, planting him right next to Rayla again. She was his best friend, he knew, but sometimes she also knew how to irritate him best. 

For instance, when he started playing, and realized the whole bell of his clarinet had been taken off. He glared over at her, as she was ready to play her saxophone, and she reluctantly handed it back. 

Thus the war began. There weren’t as many bits of a saxophone to steal, but more than once, Callum managed to grab the mouthpiece clean off while they were listen to their band director. She in turn actually took out his reed, which was VERY inconvenient as he was desperately tried to reattach it before they had to play music. 

The war spread. People were stealing from other’s instruments as well, all throughout the band, and passing it along to people so the person was forced to try and track it down. The screws on top of the flutes were popular, as were the trumpet mouthpieces (that one was gross.) For instruments that were harder to separate sneakily, people took the chalk they’d been carrying to adjust their spots as needed, less effective, but a lot more messy, and a lot harder to track down.

Callum was at one point handed a whole drumstick, which is when he started wondering if they had maybe taken this too far. 

“ENOUGH!” Claudia yelled over the band, effectively stopping their giggling. The drummer snatched his drumstick back and got back into position. “Who started this?!” 

The band was quiet, Rayla and Callum side-eying each other. Still, most of the band didn’t really know, they had just gone along with things. If any of them knew, no one was stepping forward.

Claudia glared at them from one to the other. “Whoever did this will pay,” she said, and for a moment Callum was certain she had made them. “For now, anyone found with an instrument or instrument part that is not their own will do march laps around the lot. Understood?”

“Yes, Drum Major!” Several members of the band said in sync.

The director cleared his throat, reminding the band that he was technically in charge, though it seemed like he was just as intimidated by Claudia as everyone else. The rest of band practice for the day passed without incident, and they were allowed to go back inside. 

At the end of the day, they were all worn out and ready to go home. Callum and Rayla had been getting rides from Claudia, who’d recently gotten her license to take other teens with her. 

Claudia was waiting for them, sitting on the trunk of her dad’s corolla, glaring daggers at the both of them. “I warned you,” she said to them, “Whoever started all that nonsense would pay.”

Callum and Rayla exchanged nervous glances. 

As they pulled up through the mcdonalds drive through, Callum and Rayla reluctantly handed their money over to Claudia. “One black coffee,” she said through the speakers, looking far, far too proud of herself for the punishment she gave out. 

Callum and Rayla sighed. They’d certainly learned their lesson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it was mostly me in the flute section where a lot of the stealing happened. luckily our drum major wasn't like Claudia.


	63. Monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callum is just looking to find his friends...but he might not like what he finds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "But Laura, Halloween was last week" Shut Up, I was sick. 
> 
> TW blood, halloween style spooks and scares

It was a dark and stormy night

Callum walked through the halls of the Dark family’s house. He wandered into the kitchen, through the living room, around the dining room...the floorplan to the house was nearly identical to his own, and so it was simple to walk around.

And yet, no one else was here.

“Claudia?” Callum called into the dark, “Uh, Soren? Viren?” 

He checked the upstairs. Claudia’s room first. There was a storm outside the windows, Rain hammering on the glass, a gentle thumping of trees against the side. 

He gasped at a lightning strike, seeing a shadow of a figure behind him. 

He whipped around, but it was just a figure of a black cat that Claudia kept. Her room was filled with freaky scary stuff, not that he would ever tell her that’s what he thought of them. He just quickly left, clearly no one was here. 

Soren’s room left him equally empty, but as he looked inside, the lights all went out, turning his sports posters and trophies into dark silhouettes. It felt like he was being watched. 

He looked out. From Soren’s room, he should be able to see his own house, but the rain and wind was so strong it created a thick wall, dividing the homes from each other. 

Callum hesitated, looking at the last door in the upstairs hallway. He was never allowed in Viren’s room, but it wasn’t like he had any need or desire to go in anyway. Still, no one was here...it would be prudent to just check at least. 

“Uh, Viren?” He called, opening the door with a creak, “Are you--is anyone in here?” 

The room was lit only by the lightning outside. On a first glance it was fairly plain, undecorated. But there was something in the corner. Something...strange looking…

Callum took a step inside, looking at it. “Viren?” he asked.

Lightning struck again, putting the image into sharp relief. It wasn’t Viren, but it was a man. And he was dripping head to toe with blood. 

Callum screamed, turning on his heel and rushing down the stairs. 

He grabbed the front door by the knob trying to force it open. It stuck, but with a final yank, he pulled it open. 

He was blown back by the powerful winds, a lightning strike landing at his feet. 

He turned back. Aaravos was at the top of the stairs. He’d grown strange horns on his head, and his skin was dark, blue or purple maybe black. 

Callum tripped over himself running from the stairs, going instead down to the basement to seek shelter, the house creaking from the winds and the rain. 

As he ran down the stairs, he found himself not in the carpeted multipurpose room, where Claudia made her crafts, Soren used exercise equipment, and Viren had his home office set up. Instead, the walls were lined with grimy stone bricks and torches hung high up. 

The wall was covered in chains, the doors padlocked. On the table and shelves were vials and scrolls, filled with strange animals and terrifying bubbling fluids. 

In the corner were three figures in robes. “Claudia?” Callum asked. 

The figures turned. It was Claudia, and Soren, and Viren, all pale as ghosts with eyes pure black. 

Callum backed up a step, ready to run. Instead, he found himself handcuffed to the wall. 

The Dark family smiled cruelly, fangs peeking over their lips.

They attacked. 

“Callum?”

Callum jerked up. He was in his bed, he was safe, in his own house. Harrow was at the door, looking at him confused. “Had a good nap?”

Callum swallowed, “Not really.”

“Well, get dressed. The Dark’s are really proud of the haunted house they set up this year.”

Callum bit his lip, “Actually, Dad….I think I’m going to sit out this year.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah, so. I've got some big projects in the real space I'm workin on, not sure when updates will happen, but I will try.
> 
> I at least want to tie up the Viren v Harrow plot before the 100 runs out. 
> 
> Ideas are welcome.


	64. Battle of the Brothers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Callum and Ezran face each other in a terrible Feud!

“Are you boys ready for the tournament of a lifetime?” Claudia’s smile was terrifying.

Callum and Ezran were ready, though. They nodded, determined. 

Claudia set up her father’s d&d screen. It was weird to be back in the Dark house since the feud between Harrow and Viren had started. Still, Harrow was adamant that the fight didn’t get in between the kids, and Viren...well he was out at a campaign event, and what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. 

They hadn’t played D&D properly in ages. Viren used to teach them, but obviously he was too busy now. Soren had now shipped out, but Claudia, Rayla, Callum, and Ezran agreed to start up again, Claudia taking over as DM. 

Rayla couldn’t make it there that night, though, having to go to some event of Runaan’s. Ezran had made an adorable pout face at the notion of just cancelling (“You know you can’t use that trick forever,” Callum said, but Ezran just stuck his tongue out at him) So Claudia had come up with an alternate idea: A tournament between characters. 

“Alright,” she said, “This is a magical environment, a 50 by 50 foot cube. If you have magic that depends on stone or dirt or whatever, this will act like that for the purpose of the spell, but I wouldn’t recommend trying to tunnel out of the dimensional space. You are set equidistant apart. Any equipment you use here will be replenished when you leave. The only way to leave is if one of your characters lose all their hit points.” She smiled again. “Roll for initiative.” 

Brother vs. Brother, Callum and Ezran stared each other down, aggressively rolling dice. Callum had a simple tactic, shaking his open palm to shake the dice. Ezran preferred using his like a maraca in his two closed hands. It was for luck, he said. 

They released at the same time. Ezran got a natural 20. Maybe there was something to the maraca method. 

Ezran smiled, “I turn into a Panther and charge.”

Callum groaned. “You don’t get your full attack ‘cause of your transformation,” Claudia said, “But roll attack.”

Considering Callum was playing a pitiful wizard, his armor class was easy to beat. But, he was also a higher level wizard, which meant he had some pretty good tricks in his over-long robe sleeves. “I Cast Ball Lightning.” 

He managed to do some fairly impressive damage, but Ezran’s shapeshifter did alright himself, using part of his actions to amplify his abilities, making him harder to hit. 

Callum was down to half his hit points when he knew he had to pull out the heavy hitters. “I turn into a dragon.” 

Ezran pouted again, but Callum was immune. The plotline from several months ago, when it was revealed Callum’s character was descended from a silver dragon, Ezran had been so excited. They’d be shapeshifting buddies, he had thought. Never had he thought it would so terribly be turned against him. 

After a few feeble attempts at different animal attacks, Ezran was getting frustrated. It was clear the battle had turned. “Do you want to stop?” Claudia asked, her genuine concern shining through her evil dm mask. Ezran was still pretty young, so they tried to make sure the game didn’t get too much for him. 

“No,” he said, frowning. “I wanna try something. 50 feet you said?” 

Claudia nodded, and Ezran read through his papers. “Ok,” He said, “As a magic Falcon, I have a speed of 100 feet. So, I want to change into that first.” Claudia nodded again, curious where he was going with this. “Then, I want to fly up to the top of the cube….and nose dive at him. At the last moment I want to turn into a bear.”

“Whoa, wait,” Callum said, “That’s way too much to do in one turn.”

“I’ll allow it,” Claudia said, “You’re gonna take a lot of damage, though.” Ezran nodded, acceptable. 

It took a lot of calculations and dice rolls to figure out how much damage they both took. Ezran knew it was a suicide run, so he was not surprised he was taken out, but he was determined to take his brother with him. 

Callum frowned looking at his sheet. “I have….1 hit point left.”

Ezran threw his hands into the air dramatically, “Nooooo!!!!!!” he cried to the universe. 

“Callum wins the fight,” Claudia said, “But Ezran wins for awesome.”

Ezran snorts, disappointed still, but satisfied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on a D&D battle between my mother and I. Damn her and her dragon.


	65. The campaign manager

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claudia’s been feeling alone in her own home, and she knows who’s to blame.

Claudia was feeling better this week, but it didn’t fully stem the loneliness she’d been feeling. 

Under the guise of a competition, Callum had made up with her, insisting they were still friends. Claudia was glad he had, she’d missed him. She had other friends, but Callum she knew since they were kids, and now that Soren was gone…

She shook her head. Dad was home today, which was a surprise, but it felt like he wasn’t. He was so rarely home now, always running from campaign event to event. She went to a few, and they could be fun. Viren would grip her shoulders and smile brighter than she’d ever seen him.

At home, though, he was quiet, or else muttering into his phone. She could see there was something...off, about him, but she had no idea how to reach out. They weren’t that kind of family. Viren loved them, but his love took more the form of looking out for them, trying to make sure what was best for them, teaching them….not so much on the comfort and hugs and caring. Claudia always had Soren for that kind of thing, and Soren had her. Viren….had had Harrow. Now neither of them had their comforts, and didn’t know how to be there for each other. 

As Claudia read her book, (or, looking at the pages anyway, she was more just thinking, but people looked at her weird if she just stared at a wall thinking, and so she got in the habit of holding a book) she thought it was like living with a ghost. She didn’t know when Viren was home anymore, only guessing based off the sound of footsteps or other strange noises. She wondered if her dad would let her get a cat. Rayla had a cat. Callum and Ezran had a dog, not to mention Ezran’s pet toad. 

She was lost down the rabbit hole of her own mind when the doorbell rang. She looked out her window, to see if it was just a telemarketer she should ignore, or maybe a girl scout. She could use some cookies. 

It was not cookies, but it did have her going down to the front door. When she opened it, she found Aaravos on the other side, smiling down at her. 

Aaravos was rarely ever not smiling, and it creeped her out. His facial expressions were so….fake. She didn’t know what to believe with him. “Hello,” he said, voice low and sweet, “Is your father home?”

Claudia swallowed. She honestly didn’t know. “What do you want him for?” 

Aaravos sighed. “Campaign business,” he said, “he’s been ignoring my texts.”

Claudia was solidly in between child and adult, with no one including herself ever really sure how to treat her. Something about the way Aaravos spoke, though, always made her feel very small.

Before she could come up with an answer, Viren’s footsteps thundered behind her, and they both turned. “What are you doing here?” He demanded, “I told you to never come to my house!”

“You can’t ignore this problem any longer,” Aaravos said, “I’m running out of way to get your attention.” 

Viren snarled, “get in,” he demanded, pulling him inside, “Claudia, go upstairs.”

“But I-“

“Go!” Viren said, his snarl turned on her. Claudia actually backed up a step in fear.

Claudia made it up the stairs, opening and closing her door without going in, before creeping back to the stairs.

“...he’s polling at less than 3%,” Viren said, “it’s not an issue.”

“That 3% is coming directly from your voting pool, and could make all the difference. Not to mention his entire campaign is hinged not on winning, but taking you down.” Aaravos’ low voice was hard to hear, but she understood what he wasn’t saying. They were talking about Harrow.

“You mean taking you down.” Viren said, poison in his voice.

“In this case they are the same,” Aaravos said. 

Claudia heard the sounds of clinking glasses. “Put that down,” Aaravos said, “the last thing I need is a rumor that you have a drinking problem.”

“This is my house,” Viren snapped back, “it’s my drink. And I don’t need the fucking campaign busting in here.” There was the sound of a gulp, “that’s your cue to leave, by the way.”

“You need to convince him to drop out,” Aaravos said.

“We’re not exactly on speaking terms,”

“Get back on them,” Aaravos said, “you were friends for a pair of decades. Use it. Or consider your campaign over.”

There was sounds of walking. A door. A car starting and driving off. And then she was once again living with a ghost.

Claudia waited a long while, for what she didn’t know. A complaint? A scream of frustration? A punch to the wall?

Viren didn’t express his pain like that. Instead, after what might have been a minute or an hour, Claudia made her way downstairs.

Viren looked disheveled, his usual perfect hair out of place. There was a glass set out, but he had forgone it for going straight to the bottle.

Claudia came and sat beside him. They didn’t say anything, just existed separately. 

Tired of it, she laid her head on his shoulder. After a minute, he wrapped his arm around her. And just for that day, maybe, they were the kind of family that hugged.


	66. Town Hall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ezran is forced to go to his father's town hall meeting, but meets a friend while he's there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm Aliiiiiiive

Ezran was bored. Like, out of his skull bored. And he had to keep quiet, which made him antsy and fidgety and all the more bored.

Harrow usually left them home while he was doing campaign work, Callum experienced enough with using the microwave for minute-meals, and Ezran was in middle school now anyway. If they really needed to go somewhere, Claudia had her drivers license and could take them. 

But this time, Amaya’s people had wanted to include his kids in a photo opp for the local paper. The photo opp was going to be at the end of the night, so they had to sit through and listen as Harrow answered questions from the community, mostly older folks and people with local government jobs who actually had a stake in local elections. 

Callum had brought his art pad and was carefully sketching things out one after the other. Ezran had brought a book with him, but his mind wouldn’t focus on the words, so he just sat there staring at the pages, and then inevitably started fidgeting again. 

“Hey,” A voice said beside him, and Ezran looked up to see Aanya had come up and sat beside him. Callum looked up, but quickly re-focused. 

Ezran scooted away from his brother, “Hey! What are you doing here?”

“My dad brought me. I like going to local political events.” she sat and watched Harrow giving an answer on...some interstate taxes or something, while Ezran stared at her. “Adopted dad,” she clarified, “Technically my uncle.”

Ezran nodded. “So this is….fun for you?”

Aanya tilted her head, “It’s interesting,” she said, “I’m going to be President someday. So I want to form opinions about things.” She sighed, “Also, I want to see if I can get movement on lowering the voting age.”

Ezran blinked, “You can do that?”

Aanya tore her attention to look at him, and as always, Ezran felt just a bit stupid being around her. “There’s precedent with the 26th amendment, which was put into place because people thought they shouldn’t be made to fight in a war if they couldn’t vote. But these days, 18 is usually the time when people are going to college, and they’re often not in the same state as their residence. Besides, plenty of laws apply to younger people, like motor vehicle laws for 16 year olds. Why do we trust kids to drive 2-ton cars, but not vote?”

Ezran blinked thinking about it. Yeah, it made sense. “But...how do you just...lower it?”

“It would have to be incremental,” Aanya said, “and on a state level first. That’s why I want to bring it up to your dad, I think Maryland would be a perfect starting place.”

Ezran nodded, “Well, I’m sure he’d help you.”

Aanya fixed him with another stare, “I’m asking all the candidates, you know,” she said, “Your father doesn’t rank very high in the polls right now.”

Ezran frowned, “There’s still time,” He said, “He registered late. And besides, he just has to get enough votes for the primaries.” Ezran….didn’t really know what he was talking about. But thats what Amaya had told him. 

Aanya hummed. “I didn’t mean to insult him. I’m just trying to be practical.” She sighs, “If it helps, I’d vote for him if I was old enough.”

Ezran bit his lip, watching his dad laugh at some witty response he’d made. He was tired, Ezran could tell. “Can you,” he asked, “Can you...teach me? About these kinds of political things?”

Aanya raised an eyebrow at him, “You want to learn about politics?”

“Well,” he said, “I mean...I don’t really want to be a politician. I wanna be a zookeeper, or a forest ranger, something with animals.” he said, brightly, “But...I want to be able to help Dad. And I don’t know how.”

Aanya nodded, “Alright,” she said, “I can help you with that.”


	67. Debate Prep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day of the State Senate debate has arrived, and Viren and Harrow and everyone else prep in their own ways.

“Thank you for coming, Runaan,” Harrow said, pacing back and forth. “It’s a real help.”

“It is purely moral support,” Runaan said, “I want it on the record that I, as a foreign dignitary am not going to do anything that helps you in this election.”

Harrow sighed, “It’s a state senate election, Runaan. I don’t think we’re in national scandal territory yet.”

“I want it. On the record.” Runaan said simply. Harrow raised his hands in surrender. 

“Lets go over your talking points again,” Gren interpreted for Amaya. Harrow was getting better at signing, but in such a high pressure situation, Amaya was making sure he wasn’t getting another language caught in his head. “Runaan, you can leave if you want.”

Runaan quickly left before he dared hearing anything that touched on campaign strategy. Truthfully most of his capacity here was as glorified babysitter, and he made it over to the children. 

Rayla, Callum, and Ezran were seated near the front of the not-very crowded audience area. There were a few cameras from local news stations and the papers. State Senate wasn’t as sexy to people as Federal Senate, or even Congress. So the debate was a bit sparsely populated. 

All three had different distractions, Callum was drawing, while Rayla and Ezran seemed to be playing each other in a handheld game. “Aren’t you going to pay attention?” Runaan said, “This is the democratic process in action, how your government chooses its leaders.

“Runaan,” Rayla said, looking up and blinking at him, “I’m not American.”

“Also, we’re all underage,” Callum added.

“Plus it hasn’t started yet,” Ezran said, focus barely straying from his game, which seemed to win him a point against Rayla, as she sighed.

Runaan grumped. “Still. It’s about respect.” They did not pay him any mind. As he sat, he found himself bored too, though. He took out his phone, to read very important work emails. It wasn’t a distraction. It was necessary, stop looking at him like that, Rayla. 

Callum’s head jerked up as a paper hit him in the side of his head. He blinked, looking around, eyes landing on Claudia from the aisle next to him. She was smiling at him, “Hey!” Callum said, “Ready for the main event?”

“We’ll see what happens,” she said, winking at him, “We got some good tricks up our sleeve.”

Callum glared at her, but it didn’t have any bite. He knew this was serious, but he wasn’t going to take it out on her. They had a silent agreement to barely talk about the election both their parents were a part of, but now that they were here, all that was important was they were friends. 

Callum nodded behind her. She turned, and admirably did not jump when she saw Aaravos lurking there. “Your father wants to see you,” he said. 

Claudia frowned, “Why?” 

“You’ll have to ask him,” he said, and started leading her away. Claudia threw an exasperated look to Callum, but followed him backstage. Callum smirked as she disappeared. 

As soon as the door closed on them both, Aaravos turned on her, getting way more in her space than she was comfortable with. “I don’t care what you do in school,” he said, “I’m glad you have such nice friends, but when the cameras are on, I’d ask for a show of loyalty.”

Claudia scowled at him, “talking to my friends doesn’t make me disloyal.”

Aaravos didn’t frown, but smiled, looking friendly, and somehow, scarier. “Viren’s friendship with Harrow is his biggest undermining factor right now. Just not in front of the cameras. Alright?”

Claudia hated feeling so small. “Did my dad even ask to see me?”

“No,” he said, “But I’m sure he’d appreciate the encouragement.”

Claudia rolled her eyes and pushed past. She found Viren in his prep room, going over his talking points. “Hey, Claudia,” he said, “What do you think of this answer?” 

Claudia looked over it, leaning on his chair. “Say the public NEEDS these tax breaks. It’s stronger.”

Viren pulled her down to kiss the top of her head, “That’s my girl.” 

“Viren,” Aaravos said from the door, “They want you in the wings.”

Viren nodded, getting up. “See you out there, honey.” 

Viren followed the signs, getting to the wings….where he found himself behind his oldest friend. “Harrow,” he said, ignoring how his blood went cold. 

Harrow turned on him, and nodded. “Viren.” 

And then they were on.


	68. Debate Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the halfway point in the State Senate debate, Harrow and Viren have a confrontation in the restroom.

Harrow burst into the restroom of the convention hall with maybe a little more force than necessary. He hoped there weren’t any cameras in the hallway behind him. The last thing his campaign needed was a news story that he was a sore loser or just another angry black man or whatever. 

He wasn’t a sore loser though. For one, you had to be playing in order to be considered winning or losing. The few media there clearly was only interested in hearing from the major candidates, Saul Regem, Zubeia, and of course, Viren. 

There were a few other minor candidates like himself, but no one was taking him seriously. He knew how he was seen in the media, Viren’s bitter ex-partner who just wanted to take him down. Of course he didn’t want Viren to win, but that was only a part of it. He had ideas! He had strategies, plans, and a calm attitude to deal with everyone who needed to be dealt with. He’d do a good job. 

All he could think, of course, was that he much preferred just being PTA President and dealing with his own family. 

He shook his head, clearing it and splashing some water on his face to cool down. He couldn’t go down that spiral, not now. No doubt Amaya was already freaking out somewhere, wanting to go over his talking points. She’d done so much for him in this campaign, and he knew she wanted to go back to the way things were before too, but he appreciated it. 

As he dried his face, he looked in the mirror, making sure he seemed composed. Before he could head out, though, the door opened and Viren entered.

He wasn’t prepared enough to keep his face set. He couldn’t help frowning in disgust, and then felt almost bad as he recognized Viren’s hurt. “Katolis.” Viren said, nodding. 

“What, so we’ve gone to a last name basis now?” Harrow said.

Viren sighed, “I was trying to keep things civil between us.”

Harrow snorted, feeling petty, “I think we’re a little past that, don’t you?”

Viren raised an eyebrow. “What, is this some sort of trap?” he said, “Pulling me into an argument in the mens’ room with cameras and reporters just outside? Are you hoping to drag me into a screaming match?”

“I have nothing to say to you,” Harrow said, “Let alone scream at you.”

“You seemed to have a lot to say to me out there,” Viren said, nodding toward the stage, “Isn’t that why you’re here? To stop me?” 

“You know, you were the one who once said I’d be a good candidate,” Harrow said. 

Viren shook his head, “You’re too much of an idealist, my--” He cut himself off, but Harrow almost thought he was going to say ‘friend.’ “It’s not a bad thing to be, but you can’t have everything.”

“Better to want everything than be a puppet who wants nothing,” Harrow said, “Tell me, do you actually believe any of the things you say out there, or do you just repeat whatever Aaravos tells you?”

Viren bristled, “He does what needs to be done, as do I. Something you never seemed to understand.”

Harrow sighed deeply. “You’re right,” he said. Viren actually looked surprised, “I didn’t understand all you did, did for both of us. Some of it I wish I still don’t understand. I want to work in a perfect world, but...it’s not.”

Viren clenched his teeth, “So why are you doing this?”

“Because there has to be a line somewhere,” Harrow said, “I don’t mind turning a blind eye to things I don’t approve of if the end result is good, but...but there has to be a limit. Aaravos, what he does….that’s the limit, don’t you see? If you win, he’s going to use you to make things WORSE, the whole system worse.”

Viren swallowed, “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I tried to help you for so long, and you never understood me.”

“I understood fine,” Harrow said, “This isn’t about you and me, this is about Sarai.” 

Viren backed away like he’d been shot. “What are you--”

“It wasn’t your fault,” Harrow said, “You’ve been carrying the weight of what happened for 10 years, but I don’t blame you. No one does.” Harrow tilted his head, “That’s when it all started, wasn’t it? The bribes, the underhanded practices. I was grieving to notice how much easier our cases became.”

The muscle in Viren’s jaw was jumping, “I just...wanted to make things right,” he said, “I wanted...to make REAL differences. I still want that, to make real changes.” Viren sighed, “These are YOUR ideas I’m working on, Harrow. I’m just making them work. I could make roads better, get better infrastructure, enforce speeding laws, hell, I’ll help her disability group. I’ll do anything you want.” Viren’s arms fell, defeated.

“No,” Harrow said, “Not with Aaravos’ help. He’ll infect everything you do, and you know it. Small changes might happen, but he won’t let you do anything real, anything that might really help people, because it will hurt him. And you won’t have any choice.” 

A knock came at the door, and one of the stage assistants entered. “Uh, they want the candidates back on stage.”

Harrow nodded and followed, leaving Viren behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Viren. He didn't even get his chance to pee.


	69. Debate Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viren thinks about what Harrow said to him and comes to a decision.

Viren had practiced his stump speeches so thoroughly, he didn’t have to think too hard about what he was saying as he did it. All the announcers had to do was say a topic and he could talk for the allotted amount of time. 

There was a change, though, and he wasn’t sure how many people could see it. Aaravos probably could, given he could feel the frowning from backstage. Claudia was frowning, just slightly and tilting her head. Most concerning of all was Harrow, though Harrow managed to keep his composure. 

“...Thank you, Mr. Katolis,” the moderator said, “Now, Mr. Dark--”

“Excuse me, I haven’t had my allowed 2 minutes yet,” Harrow interrupted, “There’s a clock in the back of the hall, so I can see my own time.”

“Mr. Katolis, please,” the moderator started, but Harrow was already talking over him. 

“I think the people here need to hear all sides of the issues,” Harrow said, “to fully understand everyone’s positions, not just those you as the moderator have deemed worthy of your time. I have followed every rule put forth for me tonight, despite the fact I’ve barely been given the time to make my actual points, while Mr. Dark here is simply regurgitating parts of his stump speech instead of actually engaging on the topics at hand to present his arguments to the public.” 

Viren felt all the eyes in the room turn on him, though he really only processed Harrow’s look of disdain. The moderator was clearly displeased at the speech, but sighed and said, “Mr. Dark, your response?”

His response. As always, Harrow had left him speechless, but not here. No, he’d left him speechless before, during the break, talking about Sarai. 

Her death had haunted him, and his guilt followed soon after. Harrow was right, he’d been different since she’d passed, moreso than after his wife had left him. 

He was tired of following after cases and leads and doing the right thing when it didn’t lead anywhere 90% of the time. He was tired of the bad guys always winning when….when it didn’t seem to MATTER. Sarai was one of the best people he knew, though he didn’t know her well. And she died, pushing him out of the way. 

The good guys didn’t win. But he could be a villain for the good guys. The sin eater. The one who would protect the good guys by doing what they couldn’t. He did that for Harrow. He thought he was still doing it for Harrow, even if Harrow said he didn’t want it. 

“Mr. Dark?” The Moderator interrupted his thoughts, “Do you have a response?”

Viren readjusted his position on the podium. “I do,” he said, “Harrow Katolis is right.” There was a muttering that spread through the hall, “He usually is, as he’s not afraid of telling you. Has been for most of my life.” He took a deep sigh, something in him painful and soothing all at once, like infection being drained from a wound, “I cede my time to Mr. Katolis to make his point.”

NOW Harrow looked properly shocked. It was good having the boot be on the other foot for a change. “I,” he started, before clearing his throat, “Thank you, Mr. Dark. My point is that, businesses shouldn’t be centered for people’s welfare, and if they have anything to do with that, be it healthcare, or just infrastructure of our town, roads, bridges, emergency vehicles, they need to be well regulated to ensure the benefit of all the people, not the profit of a few. Mr. Dark’s policies will allow people’s lives to be determined by a dollar sign, and that is something I cannot stand for.”

There was scattered applause, though most people were still confused. “Mr. Dark, do you have a rebuttal?”

Viren thought for a long moment again, and smiled as he realized he knew exactly what he wanted. “I don’t,” he finally said. “In fact, I think Mr. Katolis has successfully convinced me. It took a while, but let it not be said my mind can’t be changed by facts.”

The murmurs grew louder around them, cameras clicking wildly. “Are you saying you’re reversing your position on privatization?” The moderator asked. 

“More than that,” Viren said, “I hereby would like to rescind my candidacy as your State Senator and officially endorse Harrow Katolis for the position. The murmurs grew to an outcry, everyone in the room speaking up to the point very few managed to hear his last few words. “He is the leader we all deserve, and who will guide us all to a brighter future.”

With that, he shut his microphone off, and stepped over to give Harrow a handshake that he accepted with surprise, and walked offstage. 

Aaravos was waiting in the wings, and his face read pure murder. “What do you think you’re doing?” he hissed at him.

Viren smiled, unsure himself. “The right thing, I hope.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My version of Viren is obviously very different than Canon. i don't know if he'll redeem himself in-season, but he will here because I make the rules suckas.


	70. Burnt Cake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A pregnant Sarai is woken up by havoc in the kitchen

Sarai was laying in bed, trying not to throw up.

Ugh, Callum has not been this bad. Baby, as she’d taken to calling the thing growing in her for the moment, wasn’t even showing yet and was already causing her trouble.

It was weird just lying here, and not feeling the need to do something, even when she was sick. Her mother had died when she was very young, and her father when she was in college. They’d been immigrants, so all other family was in China still, leaving Sarai to care for a teenaged Amaya.

Amaya was taking care of things at work right now, though. AndHarrow was taking care of Callum, so all she had to do was rela—

“Mama?”

Sarai snapped her eyes open. Harrow was SUPPOSED to be looking after Callum, but for some reason he was instead standing at her door, staring at her. “What is it sweetie?” She asked, entire stomach lurching as she sat up.

Callum shuffled. He was a quiet child, thoughnot usually with her. “Harrows burning.”

Sarai frowned. Harrow was burning? Like on fire? But she didn’t hear any screaming….

Callum signed when he didn’t have words, which was often. He quietly signed “kitchen,” to her and the world snapped into place.

Ignoring her nausea, she jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs of their brand new house. As she approached, she saw smoke billowing from her kitchen, “Harrow!”

Harrow dropped the pan he was holding, thankfully not on fire, but was definitely the source of the smoke. “Hi honey,” he said, trying to be nonchalant. “How was your nap?”

Sarai blinked at him in disbelief, staring down at the burnt pan. It seemed to be a cake pan, though whatever was in it was no cake, or at least not anymore. It was pitch black and flaking all over the floor. “Harrow.” She said slowly, “what were you making?”

Harrow gulped, guilty. “Well, Uh,” he started, “Um. I’m making a cake?” He said, as though he was unsure. “German chocolate. Your favorite!”

Sarai kicks the cake slightly. It crumbled. “We’re trying a flambé version, hmm?”

Harrow attempted a laugh, but didn’t quite manage it. “I kept putting it back in, because the center was still coming out uncooked, and I didn’t know what to do, I just Uh.” He swallowed, “I followed the recipe exactly, I don’t know what happened.”

Sarai bent down, looking it over. “Looks like you overfilled the pan,” she said, “you’re supposed to use 2 pans for this, or else it cooks unevenly and the outside will burn.”

Harrows shoulders slumped. “Oh,” From behind Sarai’s legs, Callum giggles at him, making Harrow frown. “Traitor.”

Sarai grabbed the oven mitt and picked up the pan while Harrow got the broom to sweep it up. “New question,” Sarai asked, “WHY were you making a chocolate cake.”

Harrow blinked at her, “Uh,” he said, “well. Um. It was for a Uh. Surprise party. Tonight….” Sarai blinked at him. They weren’t going to a surprise party tonight, were they? “Your birthday,” Harrow clarifies, “it’s your birthday, remember?”

Sarai blinked. She had not remembered. She had been so focused on new baby she hadn’t been thinking of her own day. “Oh,” she said.

“You can’t tell Amaya I told you,” Harrow said, “she said she’d kill me and I don’t doubt her.”

Sarai smiled. Truth be told, she was about ready to cry, which she blamed mostly on horomones. Soon the tears started falling, and Harrow was immediately concerned. “Oh, sweetie! He said, “that was a joke! Oh God I shouldn’t have told you I’m so sorry, how can I fix this?”

“I’m not sad!” She said, starting to sob, “I’m so, so, happy! You’re so nice to me, I don’t understand! And I have so many friends and family and you all care for me, and you made me cake!”

“Well, lets be fair, tried to,” Harrow said, wrapping her up in his arms, “and of course we do. You deserve it.” Sarai let out another sob. She felt something hit her legs, and looked to see Callum hugging her knees. She swooped him up, getting them into a family hug.

“Looks like I’m going with storebought,” Harrow said, “anything you want for your surprise?”

Sarai swallowed, suddenly hungry. “Jelly Tart?”

Harrow kissed her head. “Of course.” He said, “why don’t you go take a longer nap before the party?”

“Ok,” she said, “you wanna come with?” She asked Callum. He nodded, “alright.”

She grabbed a box of cookies and left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday Sarai!!

**Author's Note:**

> [Timeline](https://dork-empress.tumblr.com/post/187648601834/modern-tdp-timeline)
> 
> Let me know what you think! [My Tumblr](https://dork-empress.tumblr.com/)


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